Copyrighted  by 

The  Periodical  Publishing  Company- 
Grand  Rapids,  Michigan. 

1916 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2018  with  funding  from 
Getty  Research  Institute 


https://archive.org/details/problemsoffinish00schm_0 


AUTHOR’S  NOTE. 


In  publishing  Problems  of  the  Finishing  Room 
it  is  the  desire  to  give  practical,  detailed  information 
of  methods  for  the  production  and  application  of  stains, 
fillers,  shellacs,  varnishes,  and  waxes,  recognizing  that 
latter  day  science  has  made  it  possible  to  produce  bet¬ 
ter,  more  pleasing  finishes  by  the  elimination  of  certain 
dry  colors,  through  the  introduction  of  the  ever  increas¬ 
ing,  fast-to-light  aniline  dye  stuffs,  and  through  the 
better  understanding  of  the  artisan  in  the  production 
of  chemical  solutions  which  make  use  of  the  natural 
color-giving  constituents  ever-present  in  woods. 

The  formulas  which  are  offered  have  all  passed 
their  experimental  stage.  The  methods  are  practical, 
the  results  positive.  In  commending  them  to  the  wood 
finisher,  confidence  is  expressed  that  many  a  difficulty 
will  have  been  overcome  for  him. 

Inasmuch  as  business  conditions,  and  particularly 
those  relating  to  all  branches  of  chemistry  and  allied 
arts,  are  unsettled  and  unstable  owing  tc  the  European 
war,  it  should  be  understood  by  the  reader  and  the 
artisan  that  all  prices  quoted  in  this  volume  are  such 
as  would  likely  prevail  in  normal  times. 

While  the  author  has  gone  much  into  detail  in  the 
following  pages,  he  calls  attention  to  the  constantly 
increasing  number  of  stain  and  finishing  possibilities 
that  are  coming  out  from  time  to  time.  The  reader  is 
commended  to  the  pages  of  the  Furniture  Manufac¬ 
turer  and  Artisan  in  future  numbers  for  many  notes 
and  formulas  which  may  be  incorporated  in  the  blank 
pages  in  this  book,  by  means  of  which  he  can  keep  up 
to  the  minute  in  finishing  problems. 

WALTER  K.  SCHMIDT. 

Grand  Rapids,  Mich.,  June  1,  1916. 


V 


/ 


✓ 


INDEX  TO  CONTENTS 


1.  The  Finishing  Room— -Scant  attention  paid  to  finish¬ 

ing  room.  Where  best  to  locate  finishing  room. 
Finishing  room  of  the  future.  Proper  location  of 
department.  How  to  heat  a  finishing  room.  Ques¬ 
tion  of  best  heating  system.  Much  light  essential 
to  a  finishing  room.  Whitewash  undesirable  in  a 
finishing  room.  Chipping  off  of  whitewash  hurts 
finish.  Direct  rays  of  the  sun  to  be  avoided  in 
room.  Hot  water  a  constant  need-.... . . .  17 

2.  System  for  the  Finishing  Room — Value  of  records 

of  matchings.  Equipment  of  finishing  room.  The 
question  of  weights.  Laboratory  equipment.  Varia¬ 
tion  in  weights.  How  to  use  apparatus.  Results 
depend  on  filler  used.  How  to  use  card  reference 
system  in  staining.  Card  a  record  for  future  exper¬ 
iments.  Record  card  for  oil  stains.  Carrying  out 
chart...... . . . . .  25 

3.  The  Staining  and  Coloring  of  Woods — Art  of  stain¬ 

ing  essential  in  good  furniture.  Stain  should  en¬ 
hance  wood’s  beauty.  Requisites  of  a  good  stain. 
Permanency  and  fastness  of  a  stain.  Knowledge 
of  mordants  necessary.  Wood  changing  affects  the 
stain  . . . . . . .  33 

4.  Knowledge  of  Woods  Necessary — Wood  must  be  sea¬ 

soned  and  dried.  Unevenness  of  finish  t~?”blesome  39 

5.  Preparation  of  Wood  Refore  Using — Old  methods 

good  but  too  slow  toda  r.  Finishing  process  is  com  - 
menced.  Sanding  and  sponging.  Sponging  omitted 
on  some  grades.  Precautions  necessary  many  times. 

The  danger  of  “cutting  through”. .  41 

6.  The  Importance  of  Good  Sanding— Good  sanding  es¬ 

sential  to  good  finish.  Reducing  sanding  to  the 
minimum.  Must  have  knowledge  of  sandpaper. 
Sanding  for  uniformity  of  results.  Many  varieties 
of  sandpaper.  How  garnet  sandpaper  is  made.  The 
testing  of  sandpaper.  Moisture  is  injurious  to  sand¬ 
paper  . . . . . . . . .  47 

7.  The  Process  of  Staining  Woods — Foreman  finishers 

should  have  aptness.  The  need  of  following  a  sys¬ 
tem.  Getting  the  same  stain  shade.  Staining  the 
inside  of  case  goods  adds  refinement.  The  best 
method  of  applying  water  stain.  One  great  diffi¬ 
culty  with  stain  . . .  55 

8.  The  Classification  of  Stains— Water  stains  are 

most  satisfactory.  Water  stains  produce  every 
color  shade.  Acid  stains  introduced.  Uniformity 
is  color  essential.  How  an  acid  stain  should  be 
made  up.  Water  stains  give  best  results... .  61 


8 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


9.  Staining  with  Certainty  of  Results — Preparing 
stains  so  as  to  avoid  any  re-staining.  Producing 
odd  shades.  The  foreman  finisher  dictates  sup¬ 
plies.  Water  stain  the  most  workable .  67 

10.  General  Rules  for  Staining  Wood — Results  vary 

with  same  stain.  Results  are  dependent  on  tex¬ 
ture.  Locality  influences  color.  Aniline  dyes  more 
uniform  than  others.  Antagonism  of  various  ani¬ 
lines.  A  practical  illustration  given.  Great  need 
of  care  and  cleanliness.  Extracts  exposed  to  air 
are  difficult  to  handle.  Heat  will  increase  percen¬ 
tage  of  solubility.  Color  materials  should  be  kept 
dry.  Moisture  absorbed  from  air  by  some  colors....  71 

11.  The  Applying  of  Stain  to  Wood — Stain  best  applied 

by  brushes.  Sponge  used  with  strong  alkalines. 
Avoid  brush  with  curling  hair.  Neutral  oil  best 
preservative  for  brushes.  Protect  the  hands  by  oil 
*or  vaseline.  Dominating  color  stains  are  brown. 
Fuming  now  considered  indispensable.  Better 
staining  methods  coming.  Groups  of  stains.  Shun 
stains  made  of  paint  pigment.  Black  nigrosine  the 
key  color.  Four  classes  of  stains.  The  old  way  of 
finishing.  Valuable  procedure . : .  79 

12.  Spreading  Stain  on  Large  Surfaces — Finish  must 

overcome  all  poor  cabinet  conditions.  Chief  diffi¬ 
culty  lies  in  laying  of  wood.  Methods  of  evening 
up  coat  stain.  Danger  of  lifting  end  grain  on 
veneers.  Some  means  of  correction.  Shortcomings 
of  cabinet  work  fixed  up  by  finisher .  87 

13.  The  Penetration  of  Wood  Stains — Getting  ready  for 

staining  process.  How  to  apply  stains  on  wood. 

Keep  alcohol  stains  from  the  light.  Staining  is 
not  merely  coloring.  Solubility  of  colors  must  be 
known.  Good  stain  must  be  clear  at  40  degrees  F. 
Insoluble  portions  of  stains  must  be  removed. 
Nature  of  spirit  oil  stains  is  a  suspension .  91 

14.  Knowledge  of  Veneers  Necessary — Many  veneer 

troubles  are  found  by  finisher.  Trouble  with  var¬ 
nish  and  veneer.  Checks  in  veneer  are  serious. 
Trouble  may  be  traced  back  to  laying  of  veneer. 

Poor  work  result  of  too  much  haste.  Veneer  will 
check  after  finishing,  if  before  it.  Thin  shellac  as 
finisher  on  veneer .  97 

15.  Process  of  Staining  Veneer  Work — All  veneer  does 

not  need  same  method.  Avoid  use  of  glue  size  to 
stiffen  fuzz.  Shellac  will  stiffen  and  hold  up  fuzz. 
Sanding  to  give  faded  appearance.  Contention  as 
to  sponging  veneer.  “Blisters”  in  veneers.  Correct 
weakness  in  veneer  early.  Experiments  in  spong¬ 
ing  veneer.  Correcting  defects  in  mahogany. 
Bringing  back  indentations.  Defects  show  up 
equally  with  beauties . . .  103 


INDEX  TO  CONTENTS 


9 


16.  Prfparation  of  Crotch  Veneers — How  to  fill  holes 

in  the  crotch  veneer.  Do  repair  work  in  the  cabinet 
room.  When  defects  escape  the  eye  of  cabinet  man  109 

17.  Dipping  or  Tanking  Stains — Staining  by  dipping  is 

rapid  method.  Colors  have  varying  affinities  for 
woods.  Less  vehicle  absorbed  on  hardwood.  Dip¬ 
ping  stain  should  be  stronger  than  brushing.  Stain 
should  be  kept  even  in  temperature.  The  use  of 
asphaltum.  Some  oppose  dipping  methods.  Test¬ 
ing  for  uniform  color.  Stain  not  up  to  original 
test.  Staining  by  immersion .  Ill 

18.  Important  Function  of  Filler — Filling  an  impor¬ 

tant  process.  Paste  fillers  for  porous  woods.  Good 
filler  must  be  impervious  to  water.  Foreman  must 
understand  fillers.  Filler  must  be  in  harmony  with 
stain.  Use  of  silex  in  filler.  Preparation  of  fillers. 
Mineral  turpentine  economical.  Apply  filler  after 
wood  is  “cleaned  up.”  Finishing  should  be  done 
across  grain.  Bent  wood  gives  some  trouble  in 
finishing.  Using  shellac  to  fill  holes  in  finishing _  117 

19.  Making  and  Using  of  Filler — Ingredients  for  fillers 

are  three.  Filler  is  determined  by  wood.  Oil  binds 
pigment  solidly.  Brown  japan  best  drier  for  filler. 
“Know  How”  necessary  in  making  filler.  Ideal 
white  filler.  Care  needed  to  keep  pigment  uniform. 
Reducing  paste  filler  to  a  liquid.  Consistency  of 
filler  regulated  by  nature  of  wood.  How  to  clean 
off  filler.  Important  to  keep  filler  stirred.  Shellac 
aids  in  preserving  translucency  of  filler.... . . .  125 

20.  Construction  of  a  Finishing  Room — Two  types  of 

fuming  box.  Door  should  be  sectional.  Fuming 
box  criticised.  Ammonia  water  must  not  touch 
steam  pipe.  Fuming  expedited  by  use  of  tan  bark 
extract.  Use  of  test  box  is  recommended.  Color 
of  wood  varied  by  strength  of  bark  extract.  How 
to  obtain  ammonia.  A  practical  fuming  box.  How 
Rockford  fuming  box  is  made.  Is  built  of  matched 
stock.  Plan  for  handling  the  ammonia.  Free  escape 
of  ammonia  necessary.  Simple  form  of  canvas 
fuming  box.  Air  tight  box  inexpensive.  Work¬ 
man  can  govern  shade  in  fuming .  133 

21.  Something  More  About  Fuming — Finish  shade  con¬ 

trolled  by  length  of  fuming.  Texture  of  soil  has 
influence  on  fuming.  How  to  shorten  time  of 
fuming.  Oak  yields  best  results  with  ammonia. 
Efficiency  of  tannin  in  fuming.  Comparative  re¬ 
sults  in  fuming.  Uniformity  produced  by  use  of 
shellac  . . . . . . .  151 

22.  Fuming  Oak  by  Staining  Process — Suggestion  in 

staining  process.  Guarding  against  “piling  up.” 
Method  for  use  with  smaller  surfaces.  Important 
items  in  procedure.  The  result  of  careful  work. 

Color  to  be  judged  only  with  final  finish.  Thor- 


10 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


oughness  in  finish  brings  profit.  Potash  solution 
helps  in  shading.  Flakes  prove  difficult  to  stain. 
Care  needed  with  iron  coat.  How  to  avoid  use  of 
iron  coat  . 

23.  Acids  and  Their  Use  in  Fuming — Where  the  tannins 

come  from.  Gallic  acid  comes  from  gall  nuts. 
Gallic  acid  an  important  astringent.  Pyrogallic 
acid  results  from  heated  gallic  acid.  Tannin  and 
pyro  are  of  uniform  strength.  Why  colors  pro¬ 
duced  is  a  matter  of  chemistry . 

24.  Glue  Joints  that  Part  in  Fuming— Procedure  to 

follow  . 

25.  The  Manipulation  of  Stains — Few  formulas  come 

within  solvent  limits . 

26.  Quality  Needed  in  Staining — Transparent  stains  and 

clear  filler  to  be  used.  Blotchy  work  results  from 
oiling  between  coats.  Filler  should  match  only 
general  shade.  Filler  may  be  omitted  with  birch 
or  gum  . . 

27.  Uniformity  of  Color  Desirable — Most  water  stains 

are  anilines.  Tannic  acid  an  important  factor. 
What  to  do  when  color  is  used . 

28.  Use  of  Oil  Stains  in  Winter — Effect  of  chill  on 

stains.  The  three  prominent  solvents  for  stains. 
Creosote  oil  does  not  make  good  stain.  Limpid  oils 
are  best  for  stains.  Getting  uniformity  of  results. 
Use  of  loaded  oil  brings  on  troubles.  “Doctoring” 
formulas.  Oil  solvents  should  be  free  from  naph¬ 
thaline.  Trouble  in  “lifting.”  Permanent  finish 
prevented  by  use  of  gas  oil . 

29.  Special  English  Oak  Finishes — Insight  into  meth¬ 

ods  of  special  finishes.  Producing  high  lights. 
Kenilworth  finish.  16th  Century  and  Stratford . 

30.  Birch  and  Its  Various  Finishes — Birch  as  a  strong 

cabinet  wood.  Difficulty  in  matching  birch.  Birch 
not  adapted  to  gray  finish.  Pleasing  shades  are 
produced  on  birch.  Birch  takes  any  shade  of 
brown.  Brown  mahogany  bad  to  produce  on  birch. 
Birch  makes  beautiful  imitation  of  cherry.  Birch 
can  be  fumed . . . 

31.  The  Finish  of  American  Walnut — What  is  best 

finish  for  American  walnut?  May  be  used  bleached. 
Advises  use  of  rich  brown  with  Van  Dyke  filler. 
How  the  bleaching  is  done.  Other  methods  of 
bleaching.  Finish  on  American  walnut  too  scant.... 

32.  Staining  Willow,  Reed  and  Cane — Two  processes  in 

coloring  willow.  The  question  of  various  shades. 
Alkalies  and  their  after  effect.  Spirit  soluble  colors 
used  for  shades.  How  to  get  a  mixture  of  colors.... 


155 

161 

165 

167 

173 

177 

181 

187 

189 

193 

197 


INDEX  TO  CONTENTS 


11 


33.  Browns  from  Tannin  and  Potash— Getting  tints 

depending  on  strength  of  materials .  201 

34.  Browns  from  Potassium  of  Permanganate)— The 

work  of  cold  water  stains .  203 


35.  Fads  and  Fancies  in  Finishes — Oak  adapts  itself  to 

novelties.  Oak  permits  of  artistic  coloring.  Classi¬ 
fication  of  colorings.  Ten  shades  and  many  varia¬ 
tions.  Fillers  must  be  of  harmonious  tones.  Gun 
metal  a  beautiful  effect.  Maple  offers  various  ways 
of  coloring.  How  bluish  cast  may  be  obviated. 
Finishing  of  maple.  Novelties  on  oak.  Russian 
brown  . . . . . . .  205 

36.  Blending  Woods  a  Difficult  Process — Blending  be¬ 

fore  finish  is  started.  How  to  make  a  blending 
brush.  Reduction  of  asphaltum  makes  a  good  blend 
stain.  Strength  of  stain  depends  on  workman’s 
aptness.  Water  stain  on  filled  wood  is  practical. 


Blending  mixture  for  fumed  oak .  211 

37.  Bleaching  Wood  Before  Staining — Oxalic  acid 

bleach  for  dark  spots.  Removing  iron  spots .  215 

38.  Ebonizing  Birch,  Maple,  Beech,  Etc.— Woods  that 

imitate  ebony  well.  Ebonizing  large  surfaces . .  217 


39.  Getting  Color  Results  without  Anilines — How  to 

obtain  certain  stains.  Use  of  alkali  not  recom¬ 
mended.  Decoctions  not  without  uncertainties. 
What  various  combinations  produce.  Many  yel¬ 
lows  produced.  Further  interesting  combinations  219 

40.  The  Staining  of  Drawers — Staining  drawers  adds 

refinement.  Dull  finish  is  the  proper  thing.  Good 
finish  for  purpose........... . . . . .  223 

41.  Changing  Finishing  Stain  Shades — Two  essentials 

in  ready-made  stains.  Constant  need  of  changing 
shade.  Color  value  highest  in  water  stains.  Water 
stains  in  any  shade.  Adding  color  to  prepared 
stain.  Danger  of  “lifting”  the  veneer.  Avoid  cut¬ 
ting  through  the  veneer.  Two  light  stains  are  bet¬ 
ter  than  one  heavy.... . . . . . . . . .  225 

42.  Coal  Tar  Products  in  Finishing  Room— Light  oil 

fraction  produces  coal  tar  products.  Some  of  the 
coal  tar  products.  How  various  products  are  ob¬ 
tained.  Benzols  refined  in  this  country.  Properties 
of  various  benzols.  Benzols  best  suited  to  artisan. 
Various  uses  of  benzols.  Benzol  as  a  diluent.  Oil 
soluble  stein  outlet  for  benzol.  How  benzol  figures 


in  varnish.  Further  uses  of  benzol .  229 

43.  Enameling  Furniture — -Enamel  work  needs  proper 

surface.  “Lapping”  to  be  avoided.  Inexpensive 
varnish . . . . .  231 

44.  Spirit  Stains  in  Finishing — Process  to  be  followed  239 


45.  The  Care  of  Stain  Material — Keep  liquid  stain  in 
cool  place.  Keep  sample  of  original  stain.  Many 


12 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


stains  vary  in  color  value.  Use  of  sulphate  of  iron 
important .  241 

46.  Finishing  Gum  and  Its  Uses — Walnut  crystals  em¬ 

ployed.  Gum  wood  produces  better  than  natural 
finish.  One  coat  stain  for  Van  Dyke .  243 

47.  System  in  Matching  Stain  Colors — Importance  in 


matching  color.  Procedure  in  matching.  Work 
from  dark  to  light.  Testing  samples.  Kind  of 
work  makes  great  difference.  Working  on  per¬ 
centage  basis.  Procedure  continued.  Ascertaining 
correct  strength.  Testing  the  solution.  Effect  of 
atmosphere  on  chemicals.  Age  of  finish  of  golden 
oak  effects  matching .  245 

48.  Surfacing  and  Varnishing — Surface  when  goods  are 

dry.  Importance  of  early  work  being  done  well. 
Avoid  great  temperature  changes  in  varnish.  What 
is  best  surfacer?  Most  varnish  surfacers  contain 
pigment.  Use  same  grade  for  surfacer  as  for  body. 
Tested  formula  for  surfacer.  Less  varnish  used 
than  when  shellac  is  used.  Method  of  staining 
maple  as  mahogany.  Imitation  oak  finish.  Pig¬ 
ment  surfacer  not  good  on  mahogany.  The  use 
of  bleached  shellac.  In  sanding  large  surfaces. 

Thin  varnish  is  best  reducer.  Need  of  drying 
between  succession  of  coats.  Why  some  finish  coats 
do  not  dry.  Secrets  of  varnish  drying.  Keeping 
varnish  clean.  How  to  get  proper  drying  of  var¬ 
nish.  Rubbing  and  polishing.  Coarse  rubbing  with 
pumice  stone.  Use  of  rotten  stone.  Method  used 
in  furniture  factories.  Felt  used  in.  rubbing  with 
pumice.  When  to  do  fine  rubbing.  Formula  for 
polish.  Polish  plain  surfaces  crosswise.  How  to 
make  satin  finish.  To  produce  lustreless  finish. 
Finishing  by  dipping.  Pigment  surfacer  formula. 
Needs  much  time  for  hardening.  How  much  stain¬ 
ing  may  be  done  rapidly .  251 

49.  Varnishes  and  Their  Drying — Demand  for  quick 

drying.  The  cause  of  mushy  coats.  Varnish  dry¬ 
ing  depends  on.  Best  drying  condition  35  to  45 
per  cent  humidity.  Three  points  necessary  to  var¬ 
nish  drying.  Desirable  condition.  Finishing  room 
should  be  conditioned.  Successful  method  for  dry¬ 


ing  purposes  .  269 

50.  Just  How  Varnish  is  Made — Ingredients  of  varnish. 

Two  oils  are  utilized.  Process  of  manufacture. 
Evidences  of  poor  varnish.  Removing  varnish. 
Whitening  of  varnish.  Hair-lines  on  piano  finish....  273 


51.  What  Constitutes  a  Good  Varnish — How  good  var¬ 

nish  works.  Varnish  tests.  Hardness  of  varnish. 

Test  in  room  of  60  degrees  F.  Avoid  spirit  varnish 
in  high  class  work.  Brilliancy  and  lustre.  Dura¬ 
bility  sacrificed  to  finish .  277 

52.  Protection  in  Buying  Varnishes — Varnish  selling 

methods  changed.  Testing  before  buying.  Gravity, 


INDEX  TO  CONTENTS 


13 


viscosity,  flash  tests.  Determining  viscosity.  Use 
of  the  flash  test . . .  281 

63.  Some  Troubles  with  Varnish — Common  fault  with 
varnish.  Things  to  avoid  in  varnishes.  More  faults 
that  are  common.  Refinishing  patchy  work .  285 

54.  Varnish  Terms  in  Finishing  Room — Shop  terms  for 

varnish.  Other  names  for  varnish .  287 


55.  Production  and  Adulteration  of  Shellac — Consid¬ 

ering  time  limit  nothing  beats  shellac.  Adulterat¬ 
ing  shellac  to  decrease  cost.  Consumer  demanding 
better  goods.  Source  of  shellac.  Preparing  for 
market.  Another  process  of  purifying  lac.  Modern 
idea  of  use  of  shellac.  Safeguarding  shellac.  Adul¬ 
terant  acts  in  two  ways.  How  to  tell  adulterated 
shellac.  When  shellac  works  heavy.  Formula  for 
gold  paint.  Aluminum  paint.  Varnish  for  metallic 
surfaces.  Removing  rosin  in  knots.  Overcoming 
white  or  gray  shellac  finish.  Repairing  blemishes 
with  shellac  . , . . .  289 

56.  Things  Worth  Knowing  About  Linseed  Oil — Source 

of  linseed  oil.  Green  flax  produces  inferior  oil. 
Refining  the  oil.  Adulterants  of  linseed  oil.  Fish 
oil  frequently  used.  Darkening  wood  with  linseed 
oil.  Filler  not  desirable  when  thus  darkening. 
“Bringing  up”  surface  by  sandpapering.  Avoid¬ 
ing  muddy  look .  299 

57.  Air  Brush  Equipment  in  Finishing — Sales  depend 

on  finish.  Air  brush  does  best  work.  Air  brush 
economical.  Material  sets  quicker  with  air  brush. 
Finishes  should  be  heated.  Two  well  known  air 
brush  methods.  Two  styles  or  aerons.  Spraying 


dene  in  a  fumexer.  All  parts  can  be  coated  in  one 
operation.  Heavier  coat  than  with  brush .  305 

58.  Explaining  a  Standard — The  meaning  of  U.  S.  P .  311 

59.  The  Production  of  Lacquers — High  skill  and  care 


needed.  Gums  added  for  gloss  and  hardness.  Wrong 
containers  for  lacquer.  Qualities  of  lacquer  are 
many.  The  basis  of  lacquer.  The  coloring  of  lac¬ 


quer.  The  process  of  lacquering.  Difference  in 
quality  of  lacquers .  313 

60.  Government  Protection  to  Manufacturers — At¬ 

tempts  to  prevent  adulterations.  Turpentine  has 
many  substitutes.  State  authorities  prosecute. 
Penalty  for  offending . . .  317 

61.  The  Care  of  Raw  Finished  Stock — Storing  finished 


stock.  Storage  room  ought  to  be  dark.  Finishing 
room  a  place  of  concern.  Lax  methods  encountered. 
Overcoming  poorly  matched  work.  Hints  for  over¬ 
coming  difficulties.  Novice  has  trouble  producing 


shades  . . . . . . .  321 

62.  Cost  Keeping  in  Finishing — Costs  for  finishing. 

Process  for  brush  fuming.  Process  is  economical....  325 


14 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


63.  Storage  of  Finishing  Materials — Two  familiar  sys¬ 

tems  for  storing.  Systems  of  battery  tanks.  Waste 
and  sloping  prevented.  Roll  top  cabinets  for  oil. 

Oil  room  on  systematic  basis.  Distribution  of  oil  in 
factory  . . . .  327 

64.  Special  Hints  to  Artisans — Applying  gold  leaf.  How 

to  avoid  “lapping.”  Finishing  open  and  close  grain 
woods.  Making  heat  stains  out  of  wood.  Keeping 
varnish  brushes  in  condition .  333 

65.  Best  Paint  for  Smoke  Stacks — Smoke  stack  paint 

needs  quality.  The  best  stack  paint .  337 


66.  Rubbing  and  Polishing  Methods — Great  advance¬ 
ment  in  methods.  Various  methods  employed.  Felt 
pad  is  best  kind  of  polisher.  Never  rub  across 
grain.  Cost  is  mere  trifle.  Every  edge  and  corner 


reached  .  339 

67.  Comparing  Color  Solution — For  testing  solutions. 

How  the  colorimeter  operates.  How  science  aids 
the  artisan  .  343 


68.  Weights  and  Measures — Accuracy  a  prime  requisite. 
Confusion  of  several  standards.  Metric  system 
simple.  Weights  should  be  stamped.  Application 
of  metric  system.  Too  many  afraid  of  metric 


system . .  347 

69.  Stain  Formulas  and  Methods .  353 

70.  Liquid  Glues  .  387 

71.  Polishing  by  Tumbling — Process  for  a  positive  pol¬ 

ishing  .  395 


72.  Polishes  in  Furniture  Finishing — French  polishing. 

Polishing  formula.  Inexpensive  furniture  polish. 
Furniture  cleaner.  Preserving  finish  on  pianos. 

An  equal  temperature  necessary.  The  use  of 
“revivers”  .  397 

73.  Valuable  Recipes  and  Formulas — Frosted  glass. 

Sticking  paper  to  tin.  To  remove  specks  or  mahog 
any  finish.  Discolored  woods  cannot  be  remedied. 

Other  recipes  for  common  faults .  401 

74.  Ground  Color  for  Graining — Ground  work  for  grain¬ 

ing.  Some  of  the  colors  used.  Other  colors .  405 


75.  Resilvering  Mirrors — Bassett’s  method  is  popular 
one.  Temperature  should  be  100  degrees  F.  The 
operation  of  resilvering.  Use  only  rain  or  distilled 
water.  Three  solutions  used.  Applying  silvering 
solution.  Coating  over  with  paint.  Absolute  clean¬ 
liness  needed.  More  of  the  procedure.  Heat  will 
discolor  silvering.  Make  up  and  use  of  three 
solutions  . . .  407 


INDEX  TO  CONTENTS 


15 


76.  Working  with  Glass  and  Celluloid — White  letter¬ 

ing  on  glass.  Ornamental  work.  Bronze  lettering. 
Cementing  celluloid.  Cleaning  mirrors .  413 

77.  Preventing  Brass  from  Tarnishing — Brass  must  be 

protected  in  plating  operation .  415 


78.  An  Acid  Proof  Table  Top — Formula  for  acid  proof 

table  top.  A  modified  formula.  Ebonizing  the  top  417 

79.  Paint,  Varnish  and  Enamel  Removers — How  vari¬ 

ance  in  shade  is  produced.  Removing  oil  and  paint. 
Another  remover.  Removing  enamel  and  tin  solder. 

Paste  that  removes  old  paint.  Changing  a  finish. 

The  formulas  that  will  do  it.  Removing  dry  paint  419 

80.  Wood  Putty  and  Fillers — Making  wood  putty  and 

fillers.  Cements  for  fillers.  Stopping  for  cabinet¬ 
maker’s  work.  Crack  fillers.  For  work  on  mahog¬ 
any  . . . . . .  425 

81.  For  the  Cleaning  of  Leather-— Cleaning  leather. 

Renewing  color.  Various  methods.  Paste  and 
polish  helps.  Water  dressing.  Refinishing  rough 
leather.  Avoid  color  in  last  coat  of  finish.  Other 


hints  for  care  and  finish  of  leather .  429 

82.  For  the  Matching  of  Finishes — Formula  for  match¬ 

ing  finishes  . 433 

83.  Dents,  Defects  and  Knots — Serious  dents  can  be 

raised.  Wood  can  be  replaced  successfully  with 
cement.  Veneer  blisters  removed .  435 

84.  Help  Offered  in  Fixing  Formulas — Anilines  fur¬ 

nished  by  publishers.  Method  of  “fixing”  a  for¬ 
mula.  How  to  be  certain  of  results .  437 

85.  By-Products  of  Coal — Evolution  of  the  raw  product 

■ — coal — through  many  refinements  to  anilines, 
medicines,  etc .  438a 


CHAPTER  I. 


PLANNING  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


TOO  often  in  the  planning  of  the  furniture,  piano 
or  other  woodworking  factory  scant  attention  is 
given  to  the  finishing  room.  Just  why  this  is,  is 
difficult  to  conceive  because  this  department  is  one  of 
the  most  important  in  the  whole  factory.  The  cost  of 
finishing  is  no  inconsiderable  item  in  the  cost  of  pro¬ 
duction,  and  as  the  reputation  of  the  goods  produced 
depends  upon  the  finish  as  much,  or  more,  than  upon 
any  other  single  item,  there  is  every  reason  why  this 
department  should  receive  every  attention  necessary 
to  raise  its  efficiency  to  the  highest  point  of  perfection. 

In  the  factories  of  more  than  one  story,  the  finish¬ 
ing  room  is  usually  located  at  the  top.  This  is  done  as 
a  matter  of  convenience  in  the  handling  of  stock  as 
well  as  to  have  it  as  far  as  practicable  from  the  dust 
of  the  woodworking  departments.  While  the  top  story 
has  many  advantages  over  any  other  part  of  the  fac¬ 
tory  for  the  location  of  the  finishing  room,  it  has  a 
few  disadvantages,  and  provision  should  be  made  to 
counteract  them. 

In  the  first  place  the  whole  accumulation  of  gases 
of  the  various  departments  below  the  finishing  room 
will  rise  and  ultimately  reach  the  top  story.  This  fact, 
together  with  the  fact  that  all  the  materials  used  in 
finishing  generate  a  considerable  quantity  of  gas,  extra 
provisions  should  be  made  for  carrying  it  away.  In 
making  this  provision,  we  find  the  top  story  possesses 
advantages  not  to  be  found  in  other  flats.  Ventilators 
may  be  put  in  the  roof  at  regular  intervals,  the  num¬ 
ber  of  these  ventilators  to  depend  on  their  capacity  and 
the  amount  of  gas  to  be  carried  away.  There  are  many 
forms  of  ventilators  in  use,  and  it  is  not  for  us  to  dis¬ 
cuss  the  merits  of  any  particular  kind,  the  chief  con¬ 
sideration  being  that  they  are  large  enough  to  carry 
off  the  gas  and  be  easily  regulated. 

But  while  we  are  considering  the  gases  and  vapors 


BUT  SCANT 
ATTENTION 
PAID  TO 
FINISHING 
ROOM. 


18 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


WHERE  BEST 
TO  LOCATE 
WORKROOM. 


FINISHING 
ROOM  OF  THE 
FUTURE. 


that  may  arise  from  the  floors  below,  we  must  not 
overlook  the  fact  that  many  of  those  given  off  by  the 
finishing  process  follow  the  floor;  in  fact,  they  seek 
the  lowest  level.  Thus  naphtha,  benzole  and  kindred 
hydrocarbon  compounds,  in  their  process  of  evapora¬ 
tion,  produce  gaseous  compounds  that  are  heavier  than 
air  and  consequently  sink  to  the  lowest  level.  This  is 
contrary  to  the  general  understanding  of  gases,  a  fact 
to  be  reckoned  with.  For  instance,  naphtha  used  in 
large  quantities  is  dangerous  because  in  a  case  where 
the  boiler  room  may  be  in  the  basement  the  fumes  or 
gases  may  follow  the  floor  down  the  elevator  shaft  with 
dangerous  results. 

The  ventilating  system  therefore  would  have  to  be 
arranged  to  provide  ceiling  and  floor  exhaust,  so  that 
the  floor  of  the  finishing  room  would  have  an  outward 
exhaust. 

This  is  an  essential  provision  where  goods  are 
dipped  in  so-called  oil  stains.  The  ventilating  proposi¬ 
tion  has  its  direct  bearing  upon  the  insurance  rate,  as 
insurance  companies  are  mindful  of  the  dangers  aris¬ 
ing  from  the  gases  evolved  by  the  drying  processes 
of  a  finishing  room. 

The  finishing  room  of  the  future  will  be  a  place  of 
rapid  processes..  Instead  of  having  to  wait  days  be¬ 
tween  the  various  processes  it  will  be  only  a  matter 
of  hours;  and  instead  of  it  requiring  weeks  to  com¬ 
plete  the  whole  process  the  thing  will  be  accomplished 
in  a  few  days  at  the  most.  Already  in  the  varnish  room 
the  number  of  days  required  has  been  reduced  to  as 
many  hours.  Just  what  this  means  in  dollars  and  cents 
to  the  manufacturer  of  finished  articles,  each  one  can 
best  figure  out  for  himself;  but  it  means  a  big  thing  in 
rush  seasons  when  time  is  limited.  It  is  important 
that  in  planning  the  finishing  room  and  its  equipment 
consideration  be  given  to  the  claims  of  the  modern  var* 
nish  drying  room. 

In  laying  out  the  finishing  room  and  locating  the 
various  processes,  it  is  important  to  have  the  stock 
follow  from  one  process  to  the  other  with  as  little  mov¬ 
ing  as  possible.  In  a  factory  with  only  one  elevator 
the  ideal  finishing  room  is  one  in  which  the  stock 


PLANNING  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


19 


is  unloaded  from  the  elevators  into  the  staining  and 
filling  department;  and  when  this  process  is  finished, 
the  stock  is  moved  toward  the  shellacing  department, 
then  on  to  the  sanding  and  varnishing  departments. 
Both  the  varnish  and  the  rubbing  rooms  should  be  in 
close  proximity  to  the  stock  room  so  that  the  goods, 
when  varnished,  may  pass  immediately  into  the  rub¬ 
bing  room.  This  brings  the  goods  back  into  the  ele¬ 
vator. 

If  the  dipping  process  is  used  in  staining,  filling  or 
varnishing,  the  space  required  for  these  operations 
should  be  partitioned  off  from  the  other  departments. 
This  should  be  done  in  the  interest  of  those  not  en¬ 
gaged  in  dipping.  The  great  amount  of  stain  or  var¬ 
nish,  suddenly  spread  out,  generates  a  vast  amount  of 
nauseating  gases  and  if  the  work  is  done  in  open  shop, 
the  whole  room  is  affected.  The  very  best  ventilating 
system  possible  to  devise  should  be  installed  in  the  dip¬ 
ping  room  to  carry  off  these  gases  and  not  allow  them 
to  escape  to  the  other  departments.  Of  course,  the 
gases  generated  and  confined  to  the  dipping  room  are 
equally  as  bad  for  the  man  there  as  for  those  in  the 
other  departments.  But  the  fewer  men  affected  the 
better. 

A  factory  recently  installed  a  system  whereby  the 
product  is  carried  on  trucks,  especially  built,  from  the 
first  operation  in  the  finishing  department  straight 
through  the  finishing  room,  for  sanding,  staining,  fill¬ 
ing,  shellacing,  waxing  and  varnishing.  There  was  no 
useless  handling ;  space  was  saved,  time  and  labor  less¬ 
ened  and  better  results  were  obtained. 

The  question  of  heating  the  finishing  room  cannot 
receive  too  much  attention.  A  fairly  uniform  tempera¬ 
ture  throughout  the  day  and  night  is  of  great  advan¬ 
tage  in  drying  finishing  materials.  If  anything  like 
good  work  is  to  be  done  in  the  varnish  room  it  is  abso¬ 
lutely  necessary  that  there  shall  be  proper  facilities 
for  heating.  This  department  is  required  much  earlier 
in  the  fall  and  a  little  later  in  the  spring  than  are  usu¬ 
ally  some  of  the  others.  If  a  vacuum  heating  system  is 
in  use  and  exhaust  steam  is  used  for  heating,  a  separate 
system  should  be  installed  for  heating  the  varnish  room. 


PROPER 
LOCATION  OF 
DEPARTMENT. 


HOW  TO  HEAT 
A  FINISHING 
ROOM. 


20 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


QUESTION  OF 
BEST  SYSTEM. 


It  requires  considerable  steam  to  run  the  pumps  of  a 
vacuum  system  and  if  an  independent  system  is  in¬ 
stalled  and  live  steam  used,  no  pumps  will  be  required. 
The  average  varnish  room  in  this  way  can  be  heated 
with  less  steam  than  would  be  required  to  run  the 
pumps  of  the  vacuum  system  alone.  This  independent 
system  need  be  used  only  when  the  vacuum  system  is 
not  required  throughout  the  whole  factory. 

The  question  of  what  kind  of  a  heating  system  is 
best  adapted  for  the  finishing  room  need  not  be  dis¬ 
cussed  at  any  length  here.  While  the  modern  air  sys¬ 
tem  may  be  preferred  for  the  other  departments,  there 
is  too  much  danger  of  dust  being  conveyed  into  the  var¬ 
nish  room  for  it  to  find  favor  with  the  finishers.  Steam 
heating  is  pretty  generally  admitted  to  be  the  best 
suited  for  this  department. 

But  the  question  whether  to  use  radiators  or  rows 
of  pipes,  and  whether  to  place  them  along  the  wall 
near  the  floor  or  overhead  near  the  ceiling,  is  not  so 
easily  disposed  of.  Each  has  its  advantages  and  dis¬ 
advantages.  If  steam  pipes  are  used  and  are  placed 
overhead  they  are  out  of  the  way;  but  overhead  pipes 
are  hard  on  the  workman.  If  it  is  quite  necessary  to 
locate  the  pipes  overhead,  they  should  be  placed  along 
the  wall  above  the  windows,  and  not  immediately  above 
the  men’s  heads,  as  I  have  sometimes  seen  them.  But 
it  is  much  better  to  place  them  along  the  wall  near  the 
floor.  A  better  radiation  may  be  obtained  with  the 
pipes  there.  More  uniform  temperature  above  and  be¬ 
low,  and  more  pleasant  conditions  for  the  workmen,  are 
some  of  the  chief  advantages. 

Radiators  placed  at  regular  distances  along  the 
wall  will  be  found  to  be  the  most  satisfactory  way  of 
heating.  With  these  a  much  more  uniform  temperature 
may  be  obtained  and  maintained.  With  the  steam 
pipes  one  must  either  have  them  all  on  or  all  off.  The 
usual  way  of  regulating  the  temperature  is:  When 
the  temperature  is  a  little  too  low,  turn  on  the  steam ; 
when  it  gets  a  little  too  warm,  turn  it  off.  But  with 
the  radiators,  the  actual  number  required  to  keep  the 
correct  temperature  may  be  kept  in  use  throughout  the 
day.  A  thermostat  will  settle  the  question.  They  are 


PLANNING  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


21 


not  expensive  and  adjust  the  temperature  automati¬ 
cally.  They  stop  all  argument  between  the  workmen 
if  one  wants  it  hot  and  the  other  cool.  It  establishes  a 
de  facto  temperature  and  all  arguments  cease. 

Light,  and  plenty  of  it,  is  essential  to  the  finishing 
room.  But  light  is  not  everything.  The  quality  of 
light  is  as  important  as  the  quantity.  Some  factories 
are  making  the  serious  mistake  of  putting  corrugated 
glass  in  their  windows,  the  light  from  which  has  a  de¬ 
pressing  effect  upon  the  workmen,  and  the  absolute 
seclusion  which  it  provides  makes  factory  life  just  a 
little  more  like  prison  life  than  is  either  necessary,  or 
in  the  interest  of  employes  or  employer.  Under  such 
condition  the  best  .results  are  not  possible. 

Man  is  made  with  a  long  range  of  vision,  reaching 
away  off  to  the  horizon.  It  is  true  that  the  vision  is 
adjustable  and  may  be  focused  on  objects  near  or  far. 
It  is  this  focusing,  or  continual  changing  of  vision 
from  long  to  short  range  that  is  necessary  during  out¬ 
door  life,  which  is  so  restful  to  the  eye  and  keeps  it  in 
good  condition.  It  is  only  when  we  attempt  a  contin¬ 
ual  restriction  of  the  range  of  vision  that  trouble  with 
the  eyes  begins.  Many  men  are  performing  their  duties 
in  a  perfunctory  way,  but  moving  around  listlessly  wTith 
weary  eyes  and  aching  head  as  a  result  of  this  re¬ 
stricted  vision.  It  is  not  necessary  that  the  man  stand 
and  look  out  the  windows  to  get  relief.  If  the  eye, 
even  for  a  moment,  can  reach  out  beyond  the  hard  stone 
walls  to  the  distant  hills,  even  though  the  man  be  not 
aware  of  it,  it  has- a  soothing  and  restful  effect. 

Do  not  whitewash  the  ceiling  of  the  finishing  room. 
It  may  save  a  few  cents  in  insurance  premiums,  but  in 
other  ways  it  will  cost  as  many  dollars  before  one  is 
through  with  it,  especially  if  the  varnish  room  ceiling 
is  whitewashed.  Some  insurance  companies  urge  this 
whitewashing  upon  manufacturers,  but  these  people 
understand  insurance  much  better  than  finishing.  Some 
claim  to  have  a  formula  for  making  whitewash  that 
will  not  peel  off.  I  have  seen  this  formula  used  both 
with  the  brush  and  the  spray  pump  and  it  peeled  off. 
I  have  met  a  good  many  manufacturers  who  were  in¬ 
duced  to  whitewash  the  ceilings  of  their  varnishing 


MUCH  LIGHT 
ESSENTIAL  TO 
FINISHER. 


WHITEWASH 
UNDESIRABLE 
IN  FINISHING 
ROOM. 


22 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


CHIPPING 
OF  WHITEWASH 
FLAKES  HURTS 
FINISH. 


.  rooms  along  with  the  other  parts  of  the  factory,  but 
I  have  never  met  one  such  who  did  not  repent  it.  White¬ 
wash  is  different  than  paint.  The  liquid  in  paint  is 
the  binder.  It  is  this  binder  that  enters  the  pores  of 
the  wood,  works  itself  around  the  fibers  and  takes  a 
firm  hold.  It  clings  to  both  the  pigment  in  the  paint 
and  the  fibers  of  the  wood  and  binds  the  two  together. 

Not  so  with  whitewash.  Water  is  the  liquid  here 
present  and  is  used  to  liquify  the  whole  so  that  it  will 
be  spread  out.  Or  perhaps  we  should  say  that  the 
water  is  the  medium  by  which  the  whitewash  is  con¬ 
veyed  to  the  wood.  Part  of  it  penetrates  the  wood  and 
part  evaporates,  but  it  has  no  binding  qualities.  The 
remaining  substance  in  the  whitewash,  lime  and  other 
ingredients,  is  too  heavy  to  penetrate  far  enough  into 
the  wood  to  get  a  firm  hold.  The  constant  changing 
temperature  to  which  the  ceiling  of  the  upper  story 
of  every  factory  is  subjected  results  in  the  extremes  of 
expansion  and  contraction,  and  the  whitewash,  being 
brittle  when  dry,  cracks  and  as  its  hold  on  the  wood  is 
not  very  firm  it  falls  off.  Any  finisher  can  tell  you 
what  this  means  to  freshly  varnished  stock,  and  even 
to  the  stock  that  is  dry. 

If  something  must  be  done  to  the  ceiling  of  the 
varnish  room  to  render  it  more  fireproof,  put  on  an  oil 
paint.  If  an  inexpensive  pigment  is  used  the  cost  of 
this  need  not  be  high;  but  in  any  event  the  first  and 
last  cost  will  not  be  as  high  as  the  ultimate  cost  of 


whitewash. 

Now  and  then  someone  raises  the  question  of  light 
in  the  finishing  room  and  its  effect  upon  the  drying 
of  finish.  There  are  some  finishers  who  will  contend 
that  light  is  just  as  essential  as  air  to  proper  drying, 
and  that  varnish  will  dry  faster  in  a  well  lighted  room 
during  daylight  than  it  will  at  night.  Others  take  a 
different  view  of  this  matter  and  insist  that  the  dryinv 
out  of  varnish  and  other  finishing  materials  is  purelv 
a  matter  of  temperature  and  air  circulation  and  that 
the  light  has  nothing  to  do  with  it. 

There  is  room  for  argument  on  this  question,  per¬ 
haps,  but  there  are  other  points  about  light  in  the  fin¬ 
ishing  room  well  enough  established  to  require  but 


PLANNING  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


23 


little  argument.  One  of  these  is  that  good  daylight  is 
essential  in  staining  if  one  would  maintain  uniformity 
in  stain  shades,  or  stain  with  any  degree  of  exactness 
whatever  shade  is  wanted. 

The  ideal  light  for  this  kind  of  work  is  the  same 
as  the  ideal  light  for  the  artist — light  coming  from 
the  north  side  so  that  it  will  remain  practically  uniform 
and  not  vary  materially  with  the  passing  of  the  sun  as 
when  the  light  is  received  from  any  of  the  other  three 
sides.  Another  thing  we  know  is  that  sunlight  shining  DTRECT  RAYS 
directly  on  either  unfinished  or  finished  woodwork  has  BE  ' AV0IDED 
a  tendency  to  bleach  out  and  deaden  colors.  Therefore 
the  direct  rays  of  the  sun  should  be  avoided  if  one  would 
get  and  keep  the  right  kind  of  live  color  tone  in  finished 
work. 

To  keep  finished  work  fresh,  or  even  prepared  wood¬ 
work  before  the  finish  is  applied,  it  should  be  stored  in 
a  dark  place,  and  especially  protected  from  sunlight. 

From  all  this  we  may  safely  argue  that  light  is  an  ex¬ 
cellent  thing  in  the  finishing  room,  as  it  enables  one 
to  judge  stain  shades  better,  and  also  makes  for  greater 
skill  and  more  satisfactory  results  in  spreading  var¬ 
nish  and  other  finishing  coats.  Also  it  will  perhaps  be 
accepted  without  argument  that  daylight  is  much  better 
for  this  kind  of  work  than  artificial  light.  The  electric 
light  firms  are  making  wonderful  progress,  however, 
in  artificial  light,  and  may  soon  be  able  to  furnish  some¬ 
thing  practically  as  good  as  daylight.  They  are  not 
likely  to  furnish  anything  better. 

So  the  ideal  finishing  room  is  one  that  is  well 
lighted,  that  is  well  provided  for  receiving  daylight, 
preferably  from  the  north  side.  When  it  comes  to  dry¬ 
ing,  either  in  the  finishing  room,  or  in  any  specially 
provided  drying  room,  some  actual  value  of  light  will 
have  to  be  demonstrated  before  it  will  receive  much 
consideration,  and  the  main  factors  to  provide  for  are 
temperature,  air,  circulation  and  a  conditioning  of  the 
air  so  that  it  will  carry  the  same  percentage  of  mois¬ 
ture  all  the  time. 

Every  finishing  room  should  be  equipped  with  the 
facilities  for  heating  water.  The  best  way  to  do  this 
is  by  the  use  of  a  vat  with  a  steam  coil  in  the  bottom. 


24 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


HOT  WATER 
IN  CONSTANT 
NEED. 


Where  water  is  to  be  used  for  dissolving  stains  it  is 
not  advisable  to  turn  the  steam  into  the  water  because 
of  the  possible  danger  from  boiler  compounds.  Where 
chemical  compounds  are  used  the  only  safe  way  is  the 
coil  with  the  return  pipe. 

Where  chemical  compounds  are  not  used,  or  the 
water  is  to  be  used  for  cleaning,  heating,  etc.,  the 
steam  may  be  turned  directly  into  the  water.  A  good 
apparatus  for  thus  heating  water  may  be  made  by 
bringing  the  steam  pipe  into  the  finishing  room  at  a 
point  most  convenient  for  heating  the  water.  If  the 
pipe  enters  through  the  floor  proceed  as  follows :  Place 
a  valve  for  regulating  the  steam  at  a  convenient  height 
from  the  floor.  Into  the  top  end  of  the  valve  insert  a 
pipe  about  a  foot  long.  On  the  end  of  this  pipe  place 
an  elbow,  screwing  it  on  tightly.  Into  the  open  end 
of  this  elbow  insert  another  pipe  about  10  inches  long; 
screw  this  up  tightly  also.  Place  an  elbow  on  the  free 
end  of  this  pipe,  giving  it  a  hold  of  six  or  eight  threads. 
This  elbow  must  not  be  tight.  Insert  into  the  open  end 
of  this  elbow  a  pipe  15  or  20  inches  long.  The  loose 
elbow  on  the  end  of  this  pipe  will  enable  one  to  raise 
the  pipe  so  that  a  pail  of  water  may  be  placed  beneath ; 
then  the  end  of  the  pipe  is  lowered  into  the  water  and 
the  steam  turned  on.  By  this  method  a  pail  of  water 
can  be  heated  to  the  boiling  point  in  a  few  seconds- 


CHAPTER  II. 


SYSTEM  FOR  THE  FINISHING  ROOM. 

THE  foreman  finisher  of  today,  while  he  may  not 
be  confronted  with  so  great  a  variety  of  colors, 
among  them  fumed  oak,  weathered  oak,  mahog¬ 
any,  etc.,  realizes  the  necessity  for  different  interpre¬ 
tations  of  these  colors.  The  conception  which  the 
various  manufacturers  have  of  one  color  necessitates 
the  varying  of  these  particular  formulas  so  as  to  match 
the  shade  adopted  by  some  other  maker.  It  is,  there¬ 
fore,  necessary  that  the  foreman  finisher  be  equipped 
with  such  apparatus  as  will  enable  him  to  do  his  match¬ 
ing  in  a  methodical  manner. 

To  establish  a  rule  by  which  all  of  these  matches 
may  be  made  will  be  of  great  benefit  to  him  if  this 
course  is  pursued.  He  should  keep  a  record  of  each 
matching,  either  in  a  book  or,  better,  a  little  card 
index,  carefully  filed  away,  to  correspond  with  the 
numbering  given  the  different  matchings.  He  should 
have,  in  addition,  a  board  sample  of  the  shade  produced 
by  the  formula  for  matching  the  same  number.  When 
an  order  is  received,  accompanied  by  a  sample  board, 
he  selects  from  his  stock  of  samples  the  one  matching 
most  nearly  the  one  received,  turns  to  the  corresponding 
formula  and  builds  upon  it  or  modifies  it  so  as  to  match 
the  sample  received  from  his  correspondent.  This, 
again,  is  given  a  number  and  in  a  short  period  of  time 
he  has  an  archive  of  information  which  will  not  only 
give  him  record  of  the  goods  used,  the  percentages, 
etc.,  in  each  combination,  but  also  should  give  him  a 
complete  record  of  the  source  from  which  he  obtained 
the  various  constituents  of  each  formula. 

A  good  pair  of  scales,  sensitive  from  a  grain  to  two 
ounces,  a  mortar  and  pestle,  graduates,  stirring  rods,  a 
set  of  small  brushes  kept  exclusively  for  this  purpose, 
a  complete  set  of  board  panels,  showing  the  various 
flakes  and  grades  of  wood  so  that  when  a  sample 
comes  in  made  on  a  flaky  piece  of  wood  it  can  be 


VALUE  OF 
RECORDS  OF 
MATCHINGS. 


26 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


EQUIPMENT 
OF  FINISHING 
EOOM. 


THE  QUESTION 
OF  WEIGHTS. 


matched  on  the  piece  of  wood  which  corresponds  to 
the  sample,  should  be  at  hand.  A  set  of  colors  made 
up  of  the  primaries,  the  necessary  chemicals  which  are 
used  in  the  finishing  room,  such  as  bichromate  of  pot¬ 
ash,  caustic  potash,  the  acids  for  setting  the  colors,  is 
also  necessary.  Where  oil  stains  are  employed,  the 
necessary  solvents,  such  as  benzole,  acetone,  wood  alco¬ 
hol,  should  be  carried.  There  also  should  be  a  water 
bath,  with  some  suitable  porcelain-lined  or  granite 
ware  dishes.  It  is  not  commonly  known  that  oil  soluble 
colors  can  be  dissolved  quickly  in  heated  benzole,  tur¬ 
pentine  or  oils  and  that  a  more  uniform  result  is 
obtained  by  making  the  solution  of  these  colors  by  the 
use  of  the  water  bath.  It  is  taken  for  granted,  of 
course,  that  this  water  bath  will  be  steam  heated. 

Unfortunately,  we  have  in  this  country  three  kinds 
of  weights,  of  which  there  is  practically  but  one  unit: 
The  Troy  weight,  with  its  twelve  ounces  to  the  pound ; 
the  apothecaries’  weight,  with  the  same  number  of 
ounces  to  the  pound  but  not  the  same  number  of  grains, 
and  the  avoirdupois  weight,  with  sixteen  ounces  to  the 
pound.  Now,  while  all  these  different  weights  have 
one  practical  unit,  there  is  always  present  the  possibil¬ 
ity  of  errors  getting  into  a  formula  through  the  inter¬ 
changing  of  ounce  weights,  dram  weights,  and  in  mul¬ 
tiplying  a  formula  to  a  larger  working  quantity.  The 
balance,  or  scale,  shown  in  the  accompanying  cut  as 
No.  8,  therefore  is  preferable.  There  also  should  be  a 
set  of  weights  having  480  grains  to  the  ounce.  To 
avoid  any  possibility  of  misconception,  before  we  go 
any  farther,  I  suggest  that  the  reader  provide  himself 
with  any  little  pocket  diary  in  which  can  be  found  the 
different  weights  used  in  the  various  kinds  of  weights. 
Let  each  one  also  establish  for  himself  a  rule  for  his 
formula. 

Now,  here  you  will  have  to  follow  me  closely.  We 
are  going  to  use  both  dry  and  liquid  measures.  The 
smallest  graduate  that  you  may  use  will  be  a  minnim 
graduate,  and  will  be  used  only  for  very  small  amounts. 
A  minnim  is  the  equivalent  of  one  drop  of  liquid,  sixty 
of  which  make  a  dram.  The  next  size  graduate  will  be 
either  an  ounce  or  four  ounces.  Graduated  in  drams, 


SYSTEM  FOR  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


27 


i.  e.,  if  a  one-ounce  graduate,  the  markings  should  be 
in  drams,  eight  drams  making  an  ounce.  If  a  four- 
ounce  graduate,  the  markings  should  be  for  the  first 
ounce  in  drams  and  the  balance  up  to  four  ounces  in 
quarter  and  half  ounces.  The  next  graduate  should  be 
either  of  pint  or  quart  capacity,  graduated  from  one 
to  four  ounces.  With  a  set  of  graduates  as  described 
above,  one  is  able  to  handle  any  problem  that  may  arise. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  the  minim  graduate  rep¬ 
resents  1  drop,  60  minims  1  dram,  8  drams  1  ounce, 
16  ounces  1  pint,  2  pints  1  quart,  and  4  quarts  1  gallon. 
As  this  is  the  liquid  measure  which  we  employ,  I 
recommend,  to  avoid  confusion,  a  set  of  weights  to 
use  in  weighing  stains,  etc.,  made  up  as  follows : 


1,  2,  3,  5  and  10 

GRAIN  WEIGHTS 

20  grains 

equal 

1  scruple 

1  and  2 

SCRUPLE  WEIGHTS 

3  scruples 

equal 

1  dram 

1,  2,  3  and  4 

DRAM  WEIGHTS 

8  drams 

equal 

1  ounce 

V2, 1,  2  and  4 

OUNCE  WEIGHTS 

16  ounces 

equal 

1  pound 

MEASURING  AND  MIXING  JUG  MINIM  GRADUATE 


LABORATORY 

EQUIPMENT. 


28 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


VARIATION 
IN  WEIGHTS. 


It  will  be  seen  that  the  foregoing  is  a  conglom¬ 
eration  of  the  three  different  kinds  of  weights,  but  that 
it  conforms  with  the  liquid  measure  commonly  used, 
inasmuch  as  it  makes  16  ounces  to  the  pound;  it  differs 
from  the  apothecaries’  weight,  and  inasmuch  as  it  uses 
480  grains  to  the  ounce  it  differs  from  the  avoirdupois 
weight.  In  purchasing  scales  you  will  always  find  that 
they  are  accompanied  with  grain  weights  up  to  two 
drams.  Above  that  they  will  have  ounce  weights.  But 
these  ounce  weights  have  437 Vfc  grains  to  the  ounce. 
While  this  slight  difference  might  not  be  noticed  in 
some  formulas,  in  others  when 
formulas  are  multiplied  to  make 
a  larger  quantity,  the  discrep¬ 
ancy  will  absolutely  change  the 
shade  of  the  stain  which  it  is 
attempted  to  make.  This  is  why 
I  recommend  a  balance  scale  so 
that  the  weights  desired  can  be 
placed  on  the  opposite  pan.  It 
will  take  but  a  short  time  to 
familiarize  oneself  with  these 
units,  and  when  the  units  that 
establish  the  formula  are  used 
in  the  entire  work,  the  multiple  of  a  formula  will  be 
correct.  Any  of  the  readers  who  now  have  scales  and 
wish  to  employ  the  above  suggestions,  can  easily  test 
out  their  scales  by  beginning  with  the  grains  and  multi¬ 
plying  up  until  they  have  established  a  unit  of  480 
grains,  then  making  comparison  with  their  ounce 
weights  when  it  will  probably  be  found  that  these  show 
but  437  grains.  It  should  then  be  an  easy  matter  to 
either  weight  these  weights  with  more  lead  or  to  make 
some  weights  out  of  lead  pipe  and  mark  them.  For 
example :  1  ounce,  480  grains. 

The  mortar  and  pestle  is  positively  the  handiest 
thing  for  thoroughly  mixing  and  reducing  to  a  fine 
powder  the  various  colors  and  chemicals  employed.  For 
example,  in  making  up  a  formula,  I  will  say,  of  20 
grains  of  black,  some  orange  and  bichromate  of  potash, 
these  chemicals  can  be  weighed  out,  rubbed  up  finely 
in  the  mortar  and  half  of  the  quantity  of  water  added 


SYSTEM  FOR  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


29 


A  MORTAR  AND  PESTLE 


and  thoroughly  stirred.  It  will  be  found  that  nearly 
all  of-  the  color  has  been  dissolved,  but  that  there  is 

sufficient  color  left  in  the 
bottom  of  the  mortar  which 
might  change  the  color. 
Now  you  can  readily  see 
what  it  would  do  to  a  for¬ 
mula,  the  amount  of  which 
has  been  many  times  in¬ 
creased  but  not  all  dis¬ 
solved.  Therefore,  after 
pouring  off  the  first  water, 
use  a  little  more  water  to 
stir  the  balance  of  the  color 
in  the  mortar  and  continue 
to  add  small  portions  of 
water  until  all  of  the  color  is  dissolved.  -  You  will  then 
be  certain  that  all  the  color  has  been  dissolved.  In 
the  cuts  I  have  shown  the  handiest  and  most  useful 
styles  of  graduates.  As  these  graduates  are  used  for 
either  water,  spirit  or  oily  liquids,  get  the  graduates 
made  in  the  larger  sizes  ^vhich  have  a  flat  bottom  with 
the  markings  on  the  outside.  These  are  easily  kept 
clean  and  clean  dishes  are  absolutely  necessary  in  the 
experimental  work  in  the  finishing  room,  as  it  takes 
but  a  small  amount  of  color  sometimes  to  ruin  a 
formula. 

In  some  factories  they  make  their  own  fillers,  or 
rather,  they  color  their  own  fillers, ‘and  in  others  they 
have  ready-made  fillers.  Every  finisher  knows  that  a 
certain  amount  of  his  results  depend  upon  the  filler 
used.  In  matching  up  a  piece  of  wood  or  establishing 
a  formula,  it  is  just  as  necessary  to  know  what  filler 
to  use  as  it  is  to  know  the  composition  of  or  the  stain 
used.  The  filler  which  is  at  hand  may  not  be  dark 
enough  and,  therefore,  the  compounder  should  have  at 
his  disposal  the  few  colors  ground  in  oil  which  are 
used  in  color  filler,  such  as  black,  browns,  rose  pink 
and  the  siennas.  Then  in  the  changing  of  a  filler,  or 
the  coloring  of  one,  he  can  weigh  out  his  colors,  and 
thereafter  have  no  trouble  in  producing  the  same 
shade  of  filler. 


HOW  TO  USE 
APPARATUS. 


RESULTS 
DEPEND  ON 
FILLER  USED. 


30 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


HOW  TO  USE 
CARD  REFER¬ 
ENCE  IN 
STAINING. 


Colors  ground  in  oil  can  be  weighed  out  just  as 
easily  as  dry  colors.  For  this  initial  work  you  can  take 
two  pieces  of  glass,  evenly  balanced,  and  put  your  paste 
color  on  this  glass.  Brush  it  clean  with  the  liquid  used 
in  thinning  the  filler. 

To  further  illustrate  my  idea  of  how  a  card  ref¬ 
erence  should  be  made,  let  me  introduce  one  here : 


WATER  STAIN  EXPERIMENT  CARD  NO.  506 

Match  for  I.  C.  PROGRESS  &  CO.’S  Mahogany,  on  Birch,  Water  Stain. 


Water 

Scarlet 

Black 

Orange 

Bichromate 

of 

Potash 

Filler 

1  Pint 

1  dram 

2  scruples 

30  grs. 

30  “ 

20  “ 

2  scruples 

1  scruple 

1  dram 

Marietta’s 

Standard 

Shade 

Total  in 
grains 

100 

80 

60 

60 

To  make  a 
gallon 
multiply 
by  8,  there 
being  8  pints 
to  the  gallon 

800 

640 

480 

480 

Reduce  to 
the  largest 
units 

1  oz. 

5  drams 

1  scruple 

1  OZ. 

2  drams 

2  scruples 

1  OZ. 

1  oz. 

Thus,  the  formula  for  matching  I.  C.  Progress  & 
Co.’s  mahogany  on  birch  as  given  above  and  fully  inter¬ 
preted  reads:  To  1  gallon  of  water  add  1  ounce,  5 
drams,  1  scruple  of  scarlet ;  1  ounce,  2  drams,  2  scruples 
of  black ;  1  ounce  of  orange,  1  ounce  of  bichromate  of 
potash.  Fill  with  Marietta  Co.’s  mahogany  standard 
filler. 

From  the  foregoing  example  we  find  that  the  first 
test  was  made  as  shown  in  the  first  line  of  quantities 
used.  That  is,  the  operater  used  1  dram  of  scarlet, 
30  grains  of  black,  2  scruples  of  orange  and  1  dram  of 
bichromate  of  potash.  It  is  evident  that  there  was  not 
sufficient  strength,  so  the  next  addition  was  2  scruples 
of  scarlet,  30  grains  of  black  and  1  scruple  of  orange. 
This  did  not  produce  the  desired  result.  The  third  exper¬ 
iment,  or  addition,  produced  the  result  by  the  addi¬ 
tion  of  20  grains  of  black.  This,  then,  gave  a  pint  of 
stain  which  would  do  the  work.  A  pint  being  an  eighth 
of  a  gallon,  the  different  amounts  used  were  added  up 
in  grains,  then  reduced  back  to  the  largest  units  of 


SYSTEM  FOR  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


31 


the  weights  employed  by  the  scale  at  hand.  The  totals 
give  the  correct  amount  for  a  gallon  of  stain.  It  is  then 
an  easy  matter  to  double  or  increase  the  amount  to  any 
number  of  gallons  desired.  The  card  becomes  at  once 
a  record  and  when  filed  away  numerically  with  the 
sample  of  wood  received,  the  sample  will  show  the  re¬ 
sult  from  the  stain  made.  This  makes  an  additional 
record  which  at  any  time  can  be  called  for  to  assist  in 
future  experiments.  Should  there  be  another  order 
taken  in  where  the  shade  varies  little,  you  have  a  basis 
to  work  upon.  These  experiments  sometimes  will  take 
from  10  to  20  additions  of  the  various  colors,  but  after 
a  pint  of  water  is  used  for  dissolving  more  than  a  half, 
or  possibly  three-quarters  of  an  ounce,  it  is  recom¬ 
mended  that  you  destroy  the  chart  and  begin  over  again 
as  in  that  case  the  water  carries  too  much  stain  and  is 
liable  to  become  muddy.  Again,  care  must  be  taken  in 
the  selection  of  colors.  It  must  be  remembered  that 
acid  colors  and  basic  colors  do  not  harmonize.  A  pre¬ 
cipitate  is  thrown  out  which  is  absolutely  useless  and  a 
waste  of  color  material. 

The  foregoing  example  may  be  employed  in  the 
making  of  oil  stains,  but  owing  to  the  fact  that  oil 
colors  do  not  dissolve  as  readily,  especially  if  they  be 
of  the  lumpy  kind,  unless  they  be  heated  on  a  water 
bath,  the  results  are  not  so  easy  or  sure.  The  prep¬ 
aration  of  a  concentrated  solution  of  the  colors  usually 
employed  for  making  oil  stains  is  very  handy.  For 
instance,  the  finisher  of  experience  knows  what  colors 
are  usually  employed  for  making  the  various  oil  stains. 
Consequently  he  can  make  up  a  certain  quantity  of  a 
very  strong  solution  of  the  colors,  the  strength  of  which 
is  known  to  him.  He  can  then  proceed  very  much  as 
in  the  previous  example,  or  according  to  the  following, 
the  chart  of  which  is  shown  below : 

OIL  STAIN  EXPERIMENT  CARD  NO.  569 


Match  for  sample  board  from  A.  S.  Muellen  Company  "OLD  OAK." 


Benzole 

Oil  Red 

Oil  Yellow 

Oil  Black 

Acetone 

%  Pint 

V2  pint 

1  pint 

1  ounce 

V2  ounce 

y2  ounce 

2  ounces 
%  ounce 

M  ounce 

3  ounces 

I  ounce 

1  ounce 

1  ounce 

2  pints 

2  ounces 

2  y2  ounces 

4  ounces 

2  ounces 

CARD  IS  A 
RECORD 
FOR  FUTURE 
EXPERIMENTS. 


RECORD  CARD 
FOR  OIL 
STAINS. 


CARRYING 
OUT  CHART. 


32 _ PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 

The  chart  is  then  carried  out  by  multiplying  the 
amounts  with  whatever  factor  is  desired  to  produce 
the  quantity  of  stain  required.  As  there  are  eight 
pints  to  the  gallon,  in  order  to  make  the  above  into  a 
gallon  quantity  we  would  multiply  naturally  by  four. 
Multiplying  the  entire  amounts  by  this  figure  would 
give  us  a  total  of  eight  pints  of  benzole,  eight  ounces 
of  oil  red  solution,  10  ounces  of  oil  yellow  solution,  16 
ounces  of  oil  black  solution  and  eight  ounces  of  acetone, 
which  the  operator  has  found  to  produce  an  oil  stain, 
which  will  match  the  sample  board  in  question. 
My  readers  will  notice  that  this  formula  will  produce 
one  and  one-quarter  gallons  of  stain.  For  all  prac¬ 
tical  purposes  this  slight  increase  will  not  matter,  but 
if  that  quantity  should  be  too  large,  it  is  an  easy  mat¬ 
ter  to  reduce  the  factor. 

The  adoption  of  a  system  of  this  kind  in  any  fin¬ 
ishing  department  where  mixing  of  colors  takes  place, 


No.  8  SCALE 


is  far  ahead  of  the  old  style,  which  was  taking  a  little  of 
this  and  a  little  of  that,  and  then  some  more  of  this, 
without  keeping  or  having  at  hand  a  record  of  where 
the  stock  came  from,  and  with  nothing  but  memory 
to  rely  upon.  A  finisher  who  once  starts  a  system 
of  this  kind  will  eventually  become  possessed  of  a  val¬ 
uable  lot  of  information.  The  more  of  these  charts 
he  has,  the  more  readily  he  can  match  a  special  order. 


CHAPTER  III. 


THE  STAINING  AND  COLORING  OF  WOODS 

THE  first  efforts  at  staining  or  coloring  woods  were 
primarily  undertaken  to  embellish  them.  Our 
native  woods  were  colored  in  order  to  give  them 
the  same  shade  as  those  of  the  tropical  woods,  which 
are  so  much  more  expensive,  and  also  to  color  cabinet 
woods,  producing  deeper  shades  and  to  give  them  the 
appearance  of  age. 

Of  late  years,  all  sorts  of  colors  and  shades  have 
been  produced.  Many  of  the  colors  have  nothing  in 
common  with  those  of  the  natural  woods,  such  as  the 
green,  olive,  gray  and  blue  tones,  these  especially  being 
absolutely  foreign  colors.  Stained  woods  are  today 
very  popular,  the  buying  public  demanding  strong  col¬ 
ors,  so  that  the  art  of  producing  these  colors  is  becom¬ 
ing  more  and  more  a  requisite  in  the  building  of  fur¬ 
niture. 

The  literature  which  is  offered  seems  to  be  a  com¬ 
pilation  of  traditional  information,  each  succeeding 
effort  containing  parts  of  some  previous  publication, 
with  a  few  additions.  In  applying  the  word  Stains  to 
the  furniture  industry,  it  can  be  classified  as  covering 
all  the  different  processes  which  are  employed  in  the 
finishing  room  and  which  tend  to  change  color,  to 
produce  shades  or  match  woods.  No  matter  what 
method  is  employed  in  finishing,  it  is  called  staining, 
with  the  one  exception,  which  is  fuming.  But  the  stain¬ 
ing  methods  must  be  subdivided  so  that,  when  aft¬ 
erward  referred  to,  they  will  be  recognized. 

Under  the  head  of  Sanding,  some  details  and  re¬ 
quirements  for  successful  treatment  are  given.  That 
they  may  not  be  overlooked,  let  me  briefly  refer  to  a 
few  essential  things.  These  are  the  preparation  of  the 
wood  by  sanding,  and  in  some  cases,  by  sponging  and 
sanding  afterward,  for  it  should  be  remembered  that 
some  of  the  woods  must  be  sponsred  and  sanded  down 
again  before  the  stain  coat  is  applied. 


ART  OF  STAIN- 
"  ING  ESSENTIAL 
IN  GOOD 
FURNITURE. 


34 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


STAIN  SHOULD 
ENHANCE 
wood's  BEAUTY. 


REQUISITES 
OF  A  GOOD 
STAIN. 


The  production  of  stained  woods,  however,  de¬ 
mands  that,  as  much  as  possible,  the  characteristic 
texture  and  growth  of  the  wood  should  be  absolutely 
retained.  Not  only  should  they  be  retained,  but  the 
stain  should,  if  possible,  bring  out  the  beauties  of  the 
wood.  All  materials  employed  in  the  production  of 
stains,  anilines,  dyes  and  chemicals  as  well,  should  be 
absolutely  soluble  in  water,  or  if  used  in  spirits  or  oil 
vehicles  should  be  equally  soluble,  so  that  they  will  pen¬ 
etrate  as  much  as  possible  into  the  wood  and  carry  with 
them  their  color  value  without  destroying  the  natural 
appearance  of  the  wood.  Therein  the  well  stained  wood 
has  an  advantage  over  a  wood  stained  with  insoluble 
color  materials,  as  the  former  penetrates,  and  in  its 
process  of  penetration  lends  its  color  to  the  fibers  and 
cells  of  the  wood,  whereas  the  latter  tends  to  cover, 
and  thus  destroy  the  natural  appearance. 

Of  a  stained  wood,  we  demand,  from  the  fact  that 
the  furniture  is  to  be  used  indefinitely,  a  permanency 
that  will  not  be  affected  by  either  light  or  air.  Yet 
these  two  requisites  are  not  the  only  ones  that  are 
essential  in  making  a  good  stain.  There  are  a  good 
many  dyestuffs  and  chemicals  which  are  fast  to  light, 
but  they  are  not  adapted  for  wood  stains.  A  good 
wood  stain,  one  that  will  be  fast  to  light,  and  perma¬ 
nent  to  exposure  to  air,  must  have  the  necessary  pen¬ 
etrating  quality  so  that  when  spread  upon  the  wood 
will  penetrate  the  fibers  and  pores  alike,  tending  to 
leave  an  evenly  colored  surface.  The  application  must 
be  simple,  the  results  certain  and,  as  a  rule,  must  not 
be  exorbitant  in  price. 

The  various  anilines,  vegetable  color  stuff  and  chem¬ 
icals  used  in  the  production  of  stains  have  a  varied 
qualification  as  to  their  permanency  when  made  up  as 
stains.  We  have  a  good  many  anilines  whose  colors 
are  most  beautiful,  and  from  which  every  conceivable 
shade  can  be  produced,  but  unfortunately  within  24 
hours  after  their  application  they  begin  to  fade. 
Another  series  of  anilines  permits  the  exposure  of 
months,  withstanding  all  without  a  particle  of  change. 
As  a  rule,  coal  tar  colors  are  far  in  advance  in  their 
qualifications  as  stain  material  in  preference  to  veg- 


THE  STAINING  AND  COLORING  OP  WOODS 


35 


etable  products.  It  is  an  easy  matter  to  produce  any 
shade  of  stain  out  of  the  two  thousand  available  aniline 
colors.  But  it  takes  an  intimate  knowledge  to  ascer¬ 
tain  which  of  these  colors  is  adapted  for  use  in  the 
coloring  of  woods. 

The  demand  for  these  special  colors  has  so  increased 
in  late  years,  that  the  consumer  is  comparatively  safe 
in  ordering  supplies  if  it  is  known  by  the  supply  house 
for  what  purpose  the  colors  are  to  be  employed.  With¬ 
out  discussing  here  the  relative  values  of  oil  stains  and 
spirit  stains,  suffice  it  to  say  that  the  general  rule  is, 
from  the  very  nature  of  production,  neither  spirit 
stains,  nor  oil  stains,  can  be  said  to  be  absolutely  per¬ 
manent.  But  their  permanency  can  be  greatly  aug¬ 
mented  by  the  after  treatment  of  the  wood,  such  as 
covering  or  coating  it  with  an  air-tight  coat  such  as 
shellac  or  varnish,  thus  protecting  it  from  the  oxidiz¬ 
ing  effect  of  the  atmosphere. 

For  the  artisan,  it  is  well  to  know  that,  as  a  rule, 
a  color  that  is  absolutely  soluble  in  water,  as  well  as 
in  alcohol,  is  not  fast  to  light.  Where  it  becomes  abso¬ 
lutely  necessary  to  produce  shades  by  the  employment 
of  colors  of  unknown  permanency,  it  is  far  better  to 
apply  each  coat  separately.  To  be  explicit,  let  us  sup¬ 
pose  we  wish  to  use  a  red  and  a  black,  but  the  effect 
of  the  two  colors  mixed  is  unknown  to  us.  Then 
apply  one  color  first,  and  when  thoroughly  dry,  apply 
the  second  color.  Thus  the  uncertainty  of  the  mixture 
is  avoided,  but  the  result  on  the  wood  is  obtained.  In 
the  event  of  producing  stains  out  of  coal  tar  dyes  and 
chemicals,  it  is  well  to  remember  that  it  is  not  safe  to 
go  beyond  two  ounces  of  chemical  salts  to  the  gallon  of 
water.  There  are  instances,  however,  where  a  quantity 
as  high  as  four  ounces  of  chemical  material  can  be  dis¬ 
solved  in  a  gallon  of  water.  This  depends  largely  upon 
the  amount  of  water  of  crystallization  present  in  the 
chemical. 

In  the  application  of  vegetable  dyes,  one  should 
always  thoroughly  understand  the  mordants  that  are  to 
be  used  in  the  making  of  permanent  colors  when  em¬ 
ploying  this  material.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  vegetable 
colors  should  be  obsolete,  from  the  fact  that  their  very 


PERMANENCY 
AND  FASTNESS 
OF  A  STAIN. 


36 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


KNOWLEDGE 
Of  MORDANTS 
NECESSARY. 


nature  does  not  spell  uniformity.  For  it  must  be  known 
that  no  two  plant  lives  produce  results  identical.  There 
is  always  a  discrepancy  in  the  actual  percentage  of 
color  value  present  in  a  given  weight  of  material.  While 
the  few  that  are  still  popular,  such  as  log  wood,  fustic, 
catechu,  can  be  purchased  in  extract  form,  and  thus 
partially  eliminating  the  uncertainty,  there  is  never¬ 
theless,  a  percentage  of  uncertainty,  which  although 
small  would  manifest  itself  in  the  results.  And  al¬ 
though  the  popular  mordants  would  be  employed, 
assuring  the  permanency  of  the  resultant  color,  the 
shade  might  vary. 

Then,  too,  standardizing  the  stains  made  from  veg¬ 
etable  dyestuff  would  exact  an  amount  of  labor  the 
expense  of  which  is  not  warranted  in  the  face  of  the 
fact  that  an  aniline  of  absolute  permanency,  producing 
identical  color  values,  can  be  purchased  at  reasonable 
figures.  Therefore  it  is  not  considered  timely  to  recom¬ 
mend  continuance  of  materials  prone  to  uncertainties. 

While  mineral  colors,  as  far  as  permanency  is  con¬ 
cerned,  are  recognized  superior  to  any  stain  material, 
from  the  very  fact  that  they  do  not  change  their  physi¬ 
cal  condition  while  being  applied  to  wood,  yet  they 
must  not  be  considered  a  stain.  Their  only  considera¬ 
tions  in  good  furniture  P"e  in  their  filler  coats,  and 
their  value  of  giving  to  the  filler  a  harmonious  shade 
conforming  with  that  of  the  stained  wood. 

The  fact  that  a  thin  coat  of  stain  ofttimes  is  not 
considered  permanent,  whereas  a  stronger  stain  made 
of  the  identical  material  is  called  fast  to  light,  needs 
consideration.  For  example,  if  we  coat  a  square  yard 
of  a  certain  wood,  employing  ten  grams  of  color  mate¬ 
rials,  and  then  coat  another  square  yard  using  but  one 
gram  of  color  material,  it  will  be  found  that  after  a 
given  time  the  sunlight  has  produced  a  greater  effect 
on  the  weaker  stain.  The  dark  coat  will  have  lost 
possibly  one-half  gram  of  its  color  material,  say  about 
5  per  cent.  However,  the  lighter  shade  will  have  lost 
about  50  per  cent,  and  will  have  the  appearance  of  a 
faded-out  surface,  which  will  show  us  that  in  pro¬ 
ducing  the  light  shades,  the  effect  of  sunlight  must 
always  be  taken  into  consideration. 


THE  STAINING  AND  COLORING  OF  WOODS 


37 


But  it  must  be  understood  that  it  is  not  the  stain 
that  changes  the  color,  but  it  is  the  wood  itself  that  has 
changed  and  thus  affected  the  stain.  This  can  be  car¬ 
ried  on  further,  and  show  conclusively  the  permanency 
of  the  stain,  by  taking  a  freshly  sanded  panel  and  ex¬ 
posing  it  48  hours  to  the  sunlight,  applying 
the  weaker  stain,  and  again  exposing  it  to  the  sun¬ 
light,  when  it  will  be  found  that  there  is  no  perceptible 
change  in  the  stain.  This  again  convinces  us  that 
after  the  permanency  of  the  stain  is  established  in 
delicate  tones,  light  effect  on  freshly  sanded  surfaces 
must  be  taken  into  consideration  in  the  final  result. 


WOOD 
CHANGING 
AFFECTS 
THE  STAIN. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


KNOWLEDGE  OF  WOODS  NECESSARY. 

\  . 

ALL  woods  entering  into  the  manufacture  of 
pianos,  furniture  and  other  high  class  commodi¬ 
ties  intended  to  receive  a  clear  and  durable  finish 
should  be  thoroughly  seasoned  and  well  dried.  We  are 
living  in  a  fast  age.  The  rapidity  with  which  the 
monarch  of  the  forest  is  converted  into  the  beautiful 
article  for  the  home  is  but  characteristic  of  the  times, 
and  calls  loudly  for  a  care  that  in  some  measure  at  least 
will  compensate  for  the  haste  in  the  preparation  of  the 
wood  for  the  finish. 

Until  quite  recently  both  in  England  and  Europe, 
and  even  in  this  country,  it  was  customary  to  allow 
wood  to  stand  several  years  between  the  time  it  was 
cut  from  the  tree  and  the  time  of  manufacturing  it 
into  household  articles,  in  order  that  it  might  become 
thoroughly  cured.  But  in  this  age  of  action  much 
lumber  is  used  in  the  manufacture  of  goods  that  has 
been  cut  but  a  few  months  at  the  most. 

Wood  intended  for  furniture,  pianos,  etc.,  that  has 
not  been  thoroughly  seasoned  in  the  open  air  should 
be  thoroughly  kiln-dried  a  considerable  time  in  advance 
of  being  made  up.  This  is  of  advantage  to  any  wood 
whether  thoroughly  seasoned  or  not.  But  it  is  im¬ 
perative  with  wood  that  has  been  rushed  from  the  tree 
to  the  dry-kiln.  If  poorly  seasoned  wood  is  hastened 
from  the  dry-kiln  into  the  workshop  it  is  very  easily 
affected  by  atmospheric  changes,  and  constant  expan¬ 
sion  and  contraction  result  from  a  continually  varying 
temperature.  On  the  surface  of  such  wood  a  lasting 
finish  need  not  be  expected. 

When  the  highly  polished,  mirror-like  surface  grows 
dim  before  its  time,  either  the  method  or  the  material 
used  in  finishing  is  usually  held  accountable,  and  all 
eyes  are  turned  toward  and  centered  on  the  finishing 
room  as  the  source  of  the  trouble.  A  careful  examina¬ 
tion  of  the  finish  reveals  the  fact  that  the  surface  of 


WOOD  MUST 
BE  SEASONED 
AND  DRIED. 


40 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


UNEVENNESS 
OF  FINISH 
TROUBLESOME. 


the  vamisn  is  gradually  growing  uneven,  and  this  un¬ 
evenness  is  the  cause  of  the  dimness.  But  what  is  the 
cause  of  the  unevenness,  is  the  question  demanding  an 
answer. 

In  many  finishing  rooms  unevenness  of  finish  has 
been  for  years,  and  is  today,  one  of  the  unsolved  mys¬ 
teries. 

A  microscopic  unevenness  will  adversely  affect  a 
high  polish.  If  wood  has  not  been  properly  dried,  no 
matter  how  well  the  pores  may  have  been  filled,  or  how 
carefully  the  Varnish  may  have  been  rubbed  and  pol¬ 
ished,  there  is  certain  to  result,  in  consequence  of  ex¬ 
pansion  and  contraction,  an  unevenness  sufficient  to 
detract  from  the  appearance  of  the  finish  soon  after  the' 
work  is  done.  And  this  trouble  may  continue  indefi¬ 
nitely  without  its  cause  being  ascertained,  because  men 
persist  in  looking  for  the  cause  of  trouble  in  the  im¬ 
mediate  vicinity  where  the  trouble  is  discovered.  It  is 
here  that  science  enters  and  enables  the  finisher  with 
a  well  trained  mind  to  stand  out  from  among  his  fellows 
and  clear  the  path  of  obstacles  that  are  immovable  and 
insurmountable  to  the  average  man. 


CHAPTER  V. 


PREPARATION  OF  WOOD  BEFORE  FINISHING. 


WHILE  it  is  generally  understood  that  all  wood 
should  be  thoroughly  dried  before  it  is  fin¬ 
ished,  this  really  means  that  it  should  be  thor¬ 
oughly  seasoned  before  it  is  put  into  work  at  all.  Un¬ 
questionably  there  was  no  better  method  than  the  old 
way  of  storing  it  in  the  rafters  of  the  work  shop  for 
five  or  six  months,  where  it  was  subjected  to  the  cir¬ 
culation  of  the  air,  and  was  always  in  a  dry  place. 

The  stacking  up  of  lumber  or  boards,  sometimes 
said  to  be  done  to  take  out  the  warp  before  the  present- 
day  kiln-drying,  is  only  a  step  toward  the  preparation 
of  the  wood.  It  shortens  the  time  in  the  kiln.  In  the 
present  day  of  hurry  and  hustle,  the  old  methods,  no 
matter  how  meritorious,  will  not  do,  because  compe¬ 
tition  will  not  permit  of  tying  up  capital  for  so  long  a 
time,  and,  therefore,  it  may  be  said  that  all  cabinet 
woods  are  prepared  by  drying  them  in  the  kiln. 

One  would  naturally  suppose  that  this  was  an  en¬ 
tirely  satisfactory  procedure,  but  it  is  not  without  diffi¬ 
culties,  for  the  softer  wood,  when  hurried  too  much, 
will  shrink  beyond  normal,  only  to  take  on  a  certain 
amount  of  moisture  after  having  been  in  work.  To 
exemplify,  take  a  piece  of  basswood,  subject  it  to  ex¬ 
cessive  kiln-drying,  and,  for  argument’s  sake,  say  it 
has  been  reduced  to  nine  inches.  You  will  find  that  it 
will  increase,  in  a  perfectly  dry  room,  to  about  9V2 
inches.  If  this  piece  of  wood  were  immediately  put  in 
work,  the  atmospheric  conditions  would  later  cause 
trouble.  The  preparation  of  the  wood,  therefore,  to  a 
certain  degree,  must  be  in  keeping  with  the  peculiari¬ 
ties  of  the  wood. 

After  the  wood  has  been  thoroughly  seasoned,  it  is 
usually  cut  to  sizes,  when  it  is  ready  for  the  planer; 
from  the  planer  it  goes  to  the  sander,  when  it  is  passed 
to  the  various  machines,  preparing  it  for  the  cabinet 
room. 


OLD  METHODS 
GOOD  BUT  TOO 
SLOW  TODAY. 


42 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


FINISHING 
PROCESS  IS 
COMMENCED. 


The  foregoing  procedure  is  that  of  the  furniture 
factory,  whereas  the  general  preparation  of  the  wood 
for  the  various  kinds  of  wood-working  industries  is 
similar  and  supplied  to  the  different  industries  as  kiln- 
dried  stock  in  the  rough  or  planed. 

The  stock  thus  prepared  is  ready  for  the  cabinet 
room,  where  it  is  made  up  into  the  various  pieces  and 
again  smoothed  down  before  going  to  the  finishing 
room.  Large  surfaces,  such  as  table  and  dresser  tops, 
are  put  through  the  polisher  or  sander  machine.  Sand¬ 
ing  is  employed  wherever  possible.  When  a  piece  is 
finally  finished  and  thoroughly  smoothed  down,  it  is 
turned  over  to  the  finishing  room.  The  sanding  of  large 
surfaces  is  a  delicate  operation,  particularly  so  where 
veneer  is  employed.  Here  the  danger  of  cutting  through 
the  surface  of  the  veneer  comes,  for  which  there  is  no 
remedy  except  to  send  the  piece  back  to  the  veneer  room 
to  have  it  re-veneered.  This  is  done  over  the  old  veneer, 
as  the  surface  has  already  been  smoothed  in  the  pol¬ 
isher  or  sander.  Turned  parts  are  sanded  before  they 
leave  the  lathe. 

Unusually  rough  parts  are  drawn  down  with  a 
scraper.  This,  however,  is  only  necessary  when  ex¬ 
tremely  uneven  joints  have  been  made.  Here  the  cab¬ 
inetmaker  uses  his  plane  or  scraper.  Where  hand  sand¬ 
ing  is  done,  the  cork  block  or,  nowadays,  the  rubber 
block,  is  employed  and  usually  garnet  paper  is  found  to 
have  the  preference.  It  will  be  seen  that  no  matter 
what  the  work,  the  general  preparation  of  the  wood 
before  it  reaches  the  finishing  room  results  in  thor¬ 
oughly  seasoned  stock  and,  when  made  up,  perfectly 
smooth  work. 

A  piece  thus  prepared,  and  particularly  is  this  the 
case  of  medium  and  better  grade  work,  where  water 
stain  is  to  be  employed,  is  now  sponged.  This  sponging 
is  usually  done  by  one  man,  who  has  a  large  pail  of 
lukewarm  water  in  which  a  small  quantity  of  glue  has 
been  incorporated — not  enough  to  act  as  a  sizing,  but 
sufficient  to  cause  the  fibers  of  the  wood  to  dry  stiff  or 
to  hold  up  the  fuzz.  After  the  sponging  the  smoothing 
process  is  employed.  In  pieces  where  large  surfaces 
are  to  be  smoothed  down,  as  much  as  possible  is  done  in 


PREPARATION  OF  WOOD  BEFORE  FINISHING 


43 


the  knock-down.  By  this  is  meant  the  various  tops. 
Drawer  fronts  can  then  be  done  with  machine  work. 
After  the  entire  piece  has  been  sponged  and  smoothed 
it  is  ready  for  the  finishing  room. 

The  question  naturally  arises,  why  do  you  sponge 
and  sand  when  you  intend  to  apply  another  solution  of 
water  stain? 

This  accomplishes  one  of  the  main  features  of  good 
finishing.  It  has  opened  up  the  pores  of  the  wood.  The 
loose  fibers  have  been  removed  and  this  enables  the 
finishers’  art  to  enhance  the  beauty  of  the  wood.  First, 
it  does  away  with  the  extreme  amount  of  sanding  which 
is  necessary  to  smooth  the  wood  after  the  grain  has 
been  raised  by  the  sponging  process  which,  if  the  stain 
were  incorporated  with  the  sponging  solution,  would  cut 
off  too  much  of  the  stain  coat,  and  in  some  places,  pos¬ 
sibly,  cut  through,  leaving  an  unevenly-colored  surface. 
That  a  considerable  amount  of  care  must  be  taken  in 
the  sanding  process,  especially  with  the  softer  woods,  is 
generally  known.  But  for  the  novice,  let  him  take 
various  kinds  of  woods,  and  he  will  notice  that  he  can 
cut  down  into  the  soft  parts  of  the  wood,  leaving  the 
flakes  of  the  fibrous  parts  protruding.  That  is  why  it  is 
well  to  employ  a  fine,  but  high  grade,  sandpaper  in 
smoothing  the  surfaces,  whether  before  or  after  stain¬ 
ing. 

On  the  cheaper  grades  of  work  the  sponging  process 
is  omitted.  It  means  two  less  handlings  of  the  article. 
On  work  that  it  to  be  oil  stained,  or  spirit  stained, 
sponging  is  also  omitted ;  but  in  either  of  these  cases  a 
thorough  dusting  is  quite  essential,  if  a  clean  bit  of 
work  is  to  be  the  result. 

In  the  general  preparation  of  the  wood  in  carvings, 
turned  work  and  curves,  there  is  no  special  method  to 
be  recommended.  The  turned  work  is  sanded  in  the 
lathe,  carvings  by  hand,  curved  work  by  hand  or  ma¬ 
chine,  but  in  all  cases  there  is  end  wood  to  be  considered 
in  the  staining  process.  If  it  is  found  in  work  that 
is  to  be  sponged,  it  is  merely  a  case  of  thoroughly  sand¬ 
ing  and  smoothing  down  before  staining.  No  general 
precaution  is  necessary  with  a  water  stain,  and  espe¬ 
cially  is  this  the  case  in  the  darker  shades;  but  if  the 


SANDING  AND 
SPONGING. 


SPONGING  IS 
OMITTED  ON 
SOME  GRADES. 


44 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


PRECAUTIONS 
NECESSARY 
MANY  TIMES. 


end  wood  takes  on  the  color  too  dark,  it  is  merely  a 
case  of  proportionate  thinning  of  the  water  stain  so 
that  the  increased  amount  of  stain  deposited  in  the 
end  wood  will  only  come  up  to  match  that  on  the  gen¬ 
eral  work.  But  in  cases  of  oil  stain,  it  is  absolutely 
necessary  to  greatly  reduce  the  strength  of  the  stain,  so 
that  the  end  wood  will  not  show  up  darker  than  the 
general  color  of  the  entire  piece.  This  end  wood  should 
all  be  stained  before  the  balance  of  the  piece.  This  rule 
equally  applies  to  the  filler.  It  can  readily  be  seen  that 
end  wood  would  take  on  more  stain  and  more  filler  than 
the  smooth  flat  surface. 

These  precautions  are  employed  where  the  best  of 
results  are  desired,  and,  unfortunately,  are  never  con¬ 
sidered  in  the  cheaper  grades  of  furniture.  Where  the 
dipping  processes  are  employed  these  precautions  are 
simply  out  of  question.  Built-up  stock  and  veneers  are 
all  sponged  and  treated  like  solid  woods  where  water 
■'stains  are  employed.  It  would  surprise  any  one  to  know 
how  small  a  quantity  of  wood  is  taken  off  in  the  spong¬ 
ing  process.  That  is  why  we  are  able  to  sponge  the 
veneer  parts  in  the  same  manner  that  we  do  solid  wood. 
If  this  were  not  possible,  the  results  would  not  be  uni¬ 
form.  It  has  been  stated  that  the  sponging  method  is 
employed  only  where  water  stains  are  used.  While  this 
is  general,  there  are  exceptional  cases  where  the  wood 
is  sponged  in  order  to  open  the  pores,  such  as  in  making 
fumed  oak  by  the  use  of  an  oil  stain,  or  where  some  of 
the  fancy  finishes  are  to  be  made,  and  the  pores  to  be 
later  filled  with  a  colored  filler. 

In  these  cases,  the  wood  is  sponged,  and  in  order 
to  more  readily  open  the  pores,  a  small  amount  of  alkali 
is  added  and  then,  when  dry  and  sanded,  the  pores  are 
still  further  opened  up  by  the  use  of  a  picking  brush. 
After  the  sanding  has  been  completed,  the  work  is 
thoroughly  cleaned  off  before  applying  the  stain  and 
before  applying  the  filler.  This  is  also  necessary  in 
cases  where  precaution  is  necessary  to  keep  the  filler 
from  settling,  from  the  fact  that  the  oil  penetrates  the 
wood,  leaving  the  dry  filler  to  still  farther  settle  in  the 
pores  only  to  be  .followed  by  all  the  subsequent  coats 
in  the  finishing  process. 


PREPARATION  OF  WOOD  BEFORE  FINISHING 


45 


The  difficulty  that  affects  the  finishing  room  is  usu¬ 
ally  that  which  is  termed  “cutting  through.”  After 
the  wood  is  sponged,  it  is  put  through  the  polisher, 
which  is  a  machine  usually  supplied  with  No.  1  down  to 
No.  00  paper.  The  operator  of  this  machine  has  the 
most  responsible  sanding  position.  He  must  smooth 
the  piece  without  cutting  through  the  sponged  part. 
The  great  danger  is  in  using  too  coarse  paper,  and  then 
cutting  through  part  of  the  wood  which  has  been 
affected  by  the  sponging  operation.  Thus  he  entirely 
eliminates  the  sponge  part,  and  while  bringing  a 
smooth  piece  to  the  finisher,  causes  the  difficulty  which 
cannot  be  recognized  until  it  has  passed  through  the 
cabinet  room  and  is  ready  to  receive  its  final  treatment. 

The  foreman  finisher  unsuspectingly  puts  the  piece 
through  the  staining  process,  only  to  find  that  the  color 
has  not  taken  evenly.  The  particular  part  which  was 
cut  through  did  not  take  the  stain  as  evenly  or  as  deeply 
as  the  rest  of  the  piece.  Then  and  there  the  difficulty 
begins.  It  means  “doctoring,”  with  doubtful  results. 
When  the  finishing  denartment  thoroughly  understands 
its  requirements,  it  should  be  consulted  in  the  matter 
of  purchasing  sanding  machines. 

Usually  the  builder  of  such  machines  informs 
himseU  of  the  requirements  and  the  results  necessary 
to  be  obtained  with  the  machine  before  he  puts  it  on 
the  market.  In  these  days,  when  time  is  money,  when 
wood  is  getting  scarcer,  when  the  finishes  are  of  a 
much  higher  grade  than  they  used  to  be,  the  sanding 
operation  is  one  that  must  not  be  overlooked. 


THE  DANGER 
OF  “CUTTING 
THROUGH.” 


✓ 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  GOOD  SANDING. 


BEFORE  staining  woods,  it  is  absolutely  necessary 
that  every  part  of  the  piece  has  been  thoroughly 
sanded. 

As  a  rule,  the  machine  sanding,  when  done  by  ex¬ 
perienced  operators,  needs  little  attention;  but  the 
necessity  of  the  sanding  operation,  as  a  whole,  is  recog¬ 
nized  by  the  foreman  finisher  as  absolutely  essential  to 
good  finishing  results.  Untold  troubles  and  difficulties 
may  arise  from  too  much  or  too  little  sanding.  The  fin¬ 
isher  must  insist  that  sanding  be  done  with  the  grain : 
First,  with  the  coarser  sandpapers  until  toward  the 
finishing  of  the  sanding  operation  it  is  smoothed  with 
the  finest  paper. 

An  experienced  hand  will  never  attempt  to  go  cross¬ 
wise  of  the  grain.  The  use  of  the  sanding  block,  which 
is  usually  made  of  a  block  of  wood  three  by  five  inches, 
to  which  is  glued  an  absolutely  square  piece  of  cork,  is 
common.  About  this  is  placed  the  paper  that  is  used. 
It  might  be  well  to  state  that  sandpaper  should  not  be 
torn.  Place  it  face  down,  cut  the  paper  side,  and  then 
break  over  an  edge.  In  this  way  absolutely  even  work 
can  be  produced  by  regular  strokes  and  uniform  pres¬ 
sure. 

I  will  not  enter  into  the  merits  of  the  various  sand¬ 
papers  on  the  market,  for  every  operator  has  a  choice, 
and  once  he  is  accustomed  to  the  results  he  obtains,  it 
matters  little  what  brand  of  paper  is  employed,  as  long 
as  a  satisfactory  surface  is  produced.  A  method  em¬ 
ployed  which  takes  the  place  of  sponging  the  wood  be¬ 
fore  staining  is  the  sanding,  or  rather  smoothing  with 
wet  pumice  stone.  This  method  is  not  popular  in  this 
country,  but  is  used  in  Europe  quite  extensively.  It  is 
claimed  that  better  results  are  obtained  by  its  use,  and 
one  operation  eliminated.  The  wood  is  moistened  with 
sponges  to  raise  the  pores,  and  then  rubbed  smooth 
with  pumice  stone  and  by  the  use  of  the  sanding  block. 


GOOD  SANDING 
ESSENTIAL  TO 
GOOD  FINISH. 


48 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


REDUCING  THE 
SANDING  TO 
A  MINIMUM. 


For  this  process  it  is  claimed  that  the  water  stain, 
described  later,  will  penetrate  the  wood  better  without 
raising  the  grain  so  that  the  sanding  or  smoothing 
after  the  application  of  the  stain  is  reduced  to  a  mini¬ 
mum.  In  this  country,  the  sanders  deliver  the  piece 
supposedly  completely  sanded  to  the  finisher.  For  many 
of  the  stains  it  is  sponged,  and  quite  thoroughly  at 
that,  and  again  sanded  before  the  stain  is  applied.  The 
difference  seems  to  be  in  the  fact  that  the  cutting  of 
the  moistened  surface  with  pumice  stone  to  absolute 
smoothness  has  a  different  effect  than  sponging,  letting 
it  dry  and  then  sanding. 

One  of  the  text  books  published  in  Leipzig,  Ger¬ 
many,  tells  us:  “Wood  is  in  all  probability  the  most 
difficult  material  on  w'hich  to  produce  an  absolutely 
even  surface.  The  structure  of  the  same  is  so  varied; 
beside  the  soft,  fleshy  part  are  the  bone-hard  fibers 
representing  the  years,  or  age,  of  the  tree.  In  oaks 
which  are  quartersawed  we  call  them  the  flake.  In  some 
woods  the  structure  is  tough,  hard  and  pithy ;  in  others, 
short  and  stocky  fibers.  Therefore,  to  sand  woods 
even,  and  so  that  the  flakes  and  soft  parts  are  equally 
affected  by  the  process,  the  soft  parts  should  not  be 
crushed  down  or  pressed  together,  so  that  they  will  not 
swell  up  later,  the  hard  parts  not  to  protrude  by  the 
sanding  process.  In  other  words,  so  that  there  will  be 
no  depressions  and  elevations,  but  that  the  surface  will 
be  absolutely  even.  The  following  requisites  are  specific 
of  a  good  sanding  or  smoothing  material :  First,  it 
must  be  sufficiently  hard  and  sharp  so  as  to  attack  the 
hard  parts  of  the  wood  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  cut  the 
soft  parts  of  the  wood  rather  than  to  press  them  to¬ 
gether.  Second,  it  must  be  produced  chemically  so  that 
the  wood  will  not  knot  itself,  but  will  powder  up  and 
be  readily  removed  with  a  duster.” 

We  see  that  sandpaper  figures  extensively  in  the 
manipulations  which  go  to  make  the  finished  product. 
First,  the  raw  wood  is  smoothed,  and  so  is  each  con¬ 
secutive  coat  until  the  last  one,  which  is  usually  rubbed. 
After  sponging,  staining,  shellacing  and  filling,  it  is 
sanded.  Different  degrees  of  sanding,  different  de¬ 
grees  of  fineness  of  the  sandpaper,  all  of  which  must 


THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  GOOD  SANDING _  49 

be  thoroughly  understood  by  the  foreman  finisher,  are 
applied.  He  must  understand  how  to  break  in  his  men. 
A  new  hand  will  do  more  harm  than  good.  In  these 
days  of  finishes  of  woods,  such  as  Circassian,  where 
there  is  really  little  coating,  scratches  or  cuts  by  negli¬ 
gent  sanding  loom  up  like  a  boil  on  a  man’s  nose. 

Sandpaper,  used  on  finish,  must  be  kept  moist.  Old 
finishers  usually  split  their  paper  and  then  moisten  the 
back.  This  is  so  that  the  paper  will  give  way  under 
pressure  rather  than  to  press  in  on  the  soft  part  of  the 
wood.  An  experienced  sander  will  have  at  hand  a 
sponge  with  which  he  moistens  his  paper  as  he  uses  it. 
Today  you  can  purchase  sandpaper  that  is  coated  on 
both  sides,  and  on  which  a  split  is  started  so  that  when 
you  come  to  use  it,  it  is  merely  necessary  to  pull  it 
apart. 

There  are  various  makes  of  sandpaper,  some  have 
preference  in  one  factory,  and  some  in  another.  The 
main  thing  is  to  know  what  degree  of  coarseness  or 
fineness  to  use,  and  then  to  see  that  the  men  use  it 
properly.  No  matter  what  woods  are  used,  the  surface 
cannot  be  prepared  too  carefully.  As  stated  before, 
whether  sanding  is  done  by  machine  or  whether  it  is 
done  by  hand,  it  must  never  cut  through  the  sponged 
part  of  the  wood.  That  part  which  had  been  raised  by 
the  moisture  should  only  be  sanded  sufficiently  to  give 
it  absolute  smoothness.  After  staining  (of  course, 
we  mean  water  staining,  as  spirit  or  oil  stains  will  not 
raise  the  grain) ,  it  is  only  necessary  to  cut  off  the  little 
fibers  or  nap  that  may  protrude.  Some  finishers,  par¬ 
ticularly  where  the  cheaper  grades  of  furniture  are 
made,  prefer  to  put  on  a  coat  of  stain  without  sponging, 
usually  relying  on  their  results  by  putting  on  a  heavier 
coat  of  stain  or  a  darker  coat  and  sanding  lightly  after¬ 
ward.  They  even  fill  the  wood  without  sanding,  put  on 
the  shellac  and  cut  the  protruding  fibers  which  are 
stiffened  by  the  shellac  by  giving  it  a  light  coat  of  sand. 
The  only  danger  of  this  operation  is  that  these  little 
fibers  will  show  up  the  raw  color  and  will  not  permit 
a  permanent  finish,  acting  as  conductors  of  air,  espe¬ 
cially  where  wax  finishes  are  used. 

Shellac  coats  and  varnish  coats  are,  of  course,  hand 


MUST  HAVE 
KNOWLEDGE 
OF  SANDPAPER. 


50 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


SANDING  FOE 
UNIFORMITY 
OF  RESULTS. 


sanded,  No.  0  and  No.  00  paper  being  used.  It  is  im¬ 
possible  to  lay  down  an  ironclad  rule  for  the  operation. 
Enough  has  been  said  to  show  the  reader  the  points  to 
be  safeguarded,  but  the  factory  that  wants  good  fin¬ 
ishing  results  must  insist  upon  the  fulfillment  of  the 
essentials  conducive  to  good  results  in  the  finishing 
room. 

Uniformity  in  sanding  is  essential,  and  to  properly 
convey  this  to  the  finisher,  the  following  experiment  is 
suggested:  Plane  a  piece  of  wood,  making  a  smooth 
surface.  Sand  one  surface  with  No.  00  sandpaper  and 
the  other  with  No.  1/2  sandpaper,  and  stain  both  sur¬ 
faces.  This  will  exemplify  in  a  strong  manner  what  it 
means  to  the  finishing  department  if  uniformity  in 
sanding  is  not  insisted  upon.  The  planed  part  of  the 
board  will  be  light  in  color.  That  sanded  with  the  fine 
sandpaper  will  be  darker  and  that  sanded  with  the 
coarse  paper  will  be  very  much  darker,  and  the  coarse 
one  will  give  a  muddy  finish. 

Another  precaution  is  the  sandpapering  between 
each  application  of  finishing  material.  For  instance, 
after  the  filler  has  been  applied,  there  are  likely  to  be 
spots  where  the  filler  has  taken  darker,  due  to  a  little 
roughness  generally  caused  by  insufficient  sanding  in 
the  cabinet  or  machine  room,  which  may  not  have  been 
noticed  until  the  filler  showed  them  up,  and  which,  in 
the  finished  product,  would  show  up  a  blotchy  bit  of 
work.  It  is  a  fact  that  it  is  difficult  to  clean  up  filler,  or 
wipe  it  off,  on  the  so-called  “skipped”  places,  and  in 
consequence  thereof  a  bit  of  judicious  sanding  will 
greatly  help  the  final  result. 

Varnish  surfaces  may  be  sanded  without  creating 
the  least  bit  of  dust,  if  the  sandpaper  is  wet  with  oil 
before  it  is  used.  For  this  purpose  a  shallow  dish 
should  be  procured  and  partly  filled  with  oil.  The  sandy 
side  of  the  paper  should  be  wet  with  the  oil,  after 
which  the  paper  is  used  just  as  in  dry  sandpaper.  After 
using  the  sandpaper  for  awhile,  it  will  become  clogged, 
but  may  be  cleaned  to  a  large  extent  by  brushing  it  out 
with  a  wet  brush,  after  which  it  should  be  dipped  into 
the  oil  again.  Use  a  substitute  turpentine  or  a  mineral 
oil.  Sandpapering  with  oil  does  not  retard  the  work; 


THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  GOOD  SANDING 


51 


on  the  other  hand,  it  seems  to  help  it.  For  some  kinds 
of  varnish  sanding,  steel  wool  is  recommended  as  econ¬ 
omical  and  labor  saving,  but  experience  has  shown  that 
it  is  dangerous  to  the  finish. 

That  there  should  be  a  great  many  details  in  the 
manufacture  of  sandpaper  seems,  at  first  thought, 
rather  remarkable ;  but  when  one  stops  to  consider  the 
large  variety  of  material  which  goes  to  make  paper,  the 
different  ways  of  making  it,  the  innumerable  sub¬ 
stances  which  are  used  in  glue,  and  the  wide  range  in 
their  prices,  not  to  consider  the  various  factory  meth¬ 
ods,  it  is  not  strange.  If  the  different  grades  of  paper 
were  limited  to  only  ten,  and  the  glue  to  ten,  we  would 
have  one  hundred  possible  combinations  without  even 
considering  the  sand,  grading  or  care  in  manufacture. 

The  process  of  making  sandpaper  has  been  special¬ 
ized  to  a  degree  which  seemingly  allows  but  little  pos¬ 
sible  improvement,  and  the  production  is  so  low  in  price 
that  it  is  poor  economy  to  use  inferior  paper,  quality 
being  so  important  that  it  outweighs  every  other  con¬ 
sideration. 

The  most  important  quality  of  the  paper  is 
strength ;  not  strength  in  one  direction  merely,  but  in 
every  direction.  Paper,  designed  for  sandpaper,  is  of 
two  kinds :  Cylinder  and  Fourdrinier.  The  cylinder  has 
strength  all  in  one  direction ;  the  Fourdrinier  paper  has 
no  grain,  the  fibers  being  distributed  in  such  a  manner 
that  the  strength  is  equal  in  every  direction.  Four¬ 
drinier  paper  will  not  tear  in  a  straight  line.  It  is 
made  in  combinations  of  fiber  in  different  thicknesses, 
according  to  the  grit  to  be  applied. 

Few  people  realize  the  adhesive  power  of  the  best 
glue,  and  sandpaper  demands  the  finest.  It  has  to  be 
specially  made  and  must  be  very  elastic.  When  it  is  con¬ 
sidered  that  fine  glue  has  cohesive  power  equal  and  even 
superior  to  glass,  the  importance  of  the  right  glue  can 
be  readily  understood.  The  glue  acts  not  only  as  a 
binder,  but  aids  materially  in  strengthening  the  paper. 

The  term  “sandpaper”  is  a  misnomer,  as  sand  is  not 
used,  the  material,  instead,  being  crushed  flint  rock  or 
quartz.  Flint  rock,  when  fractured,  presents  the  sharp¬ 
est  edges  procurable,  whereas  natural  sand,  examined 


MANY 

VARIETIES  OP 
SANDPAPER. 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


HOW  GARNET 
SANDPAPER 
IS  MADE. 


under  a  microscope,  will  be  found  to  have  a  rounded 
appearance,  the  cutting  edges  being  considerably  dulled 
by  the  action  of  wind  and  water. 

The  garnet  paper  is  made  by  the  use  of  garnet  ore, 
which  is  secured  in  the  United  States  and  abroad.  It 
is  not  quite  as  sharp  as  flint  rock,  the  particles  fractur¬ 
ing  in  right  angles,  but  the  edges  being  more  durable 
than  flint. 

In  grinding  flint  or  garnet  the  material,  in  the  form 
of  large  chunks,  is  first  passed  through  crushers,  which 
are  graduated  to  produce  the  desired  grit.  The  material 
is  then  carried  to  sifting  rollers,  which  are,  in  reality, 
skeleton  cylinders  covered  with  fine  bolting  cloth.  The 
material  passes  through  the  inside  of  these  cylinders, 
which  are  placed  at  an  angle,  the  larger  pieces  passing 
out  at  the  other  end,  and  only  the  finest  material  being 
sifted  through.  The  sifted  product  is  next  passed 
through  a  series  of  vibrating  separators,  which  deter¬ 
mine  the  different  sizes  with  extreme  exactness  and 
uniformity. 

All  kinds  of  sandpaper,  emery  paper  and  emery 
cloth  are  made  in  rolls  as  large  as  that  used  in  the 
printing  of  a  daily  paper.  The  process  Is  continuous 
to  such  an  extent  that  while  the  paper  is  still  coming 
from  the  roll  at  one  end,  the  finished  product  is  being 
re-rolled  at  the  other  end.  The  first  step  in  the  process 
is  the  printing  of  the  brand,  which  is  done  by  passing 
through  a  roller  press.  The  paper  next  dips  into  the 
glue,  which  is  applied  very  hot,  rubber  buffers  prevent¬ 
ing  it  spreading  to  the  other  side  of  the  paper.  From 
this  it  passes  under  brushes  which  distribute  the  glue 
evenly.  It  next  passes  under  a  shower  of  the  grit  de¬ 
sired,  the  surplus  falling  off  by  gravity  at  the  first  turn. 
A  further  application  of  a  thin  solution  of  glue  gives 
an  extra  coating  which  thoroughly  cements  all  the  par¬ 
ticles.  From  this  the  paper  passes  over  a  hot  blast 
dryer,  and  is  suspended  in  long  loops,  traveling  slowly 
for  a  considerable  distance,  to  be  finally  rolled  into  a 
finished  state.  The  sheets  are  cut  by  running  the  paper 
from  the  rolls  through  a  cutter  which  drops  them  out, 
automatically  counted,  and  delivered  so  that  they  can 
be  assembled  easily  in  quires  and  reams. 


THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  GOOD  SANDING 


53 


To  determine  the  quality  of  paper,  tear  it  from 
each  edge.  Good  paper  will  not  tear  straight  readily. 
It  does  not  tear  cleanly,  but  the  fiber  pulls  away,  leaving 
an  irregular  edge.  This  characteristic  should  be  the 
same,  tearing  from  all  four  directions.  When  bent,  the 
paper  should  give  a  good  snapping  sound,  and  when 
bent  sharply  the  particles  should  not  loosen  and  drop 
off.  Another  test  is  to  rub  two  pieces  from  the  same 
sheet  together.  This  is  a  very  severe  test,  but  good 
paper  will  give  up  its  grit  with  extreme  reluctance,  not 
showing  the  paper  beneath  without  considerable  rub¬ 
bing.  Above  all  things,  keep  sandpaper  in  a  dry 
place,  away  from  an  open  window  where  there  is  a 
possibility  of  its  absorbing  moisture  from  the  air. 

If  the  paper  gets  too  dry  and  cracks  or  breaks  when 
fastening  it  onto  the  drums,  moisten  the  paper  on  the 
back  before  attempting  to  place  it  on  the  drums.  This 
will  do  away  with  that  trouble. 

Every  user  of  sandpaper  should  know,  if  he  but 
stops  and  thinks  about  it,  that  moisture  is  injurious  to 
sandpaper  and  that  it  should  be  thoroughly  dry  when 
used,  no  matter  whether  it  is  paper  to  be  used  by  hand 
or  paper  to  be  attached  to  a  roll  sander  or  any  other 
sander  device.  Moisture  and  heat  both  tend  to  soften 
the  glue  holding  the  sand  to  the  paper,  and  to  let  the 
sand  strip  off,  thus  shortening  the  life  and  impairing 
the  usefulness  of  the  paper. 

Those  who  know  this  thoroughly  perhaps  often  fail 
to  appreciate  another  fact,  and  that  is  that  sandpaper 
in  stock  will  go  and  come  more  or  less  with  the  weather. 
It  will  absorb  moisture  from  the  air  during  rainy 
weather  and  should  be  dried  before  using. 

Indeed,  it  is  well  to  treat  sandpaper  pretty  much  as 
one  treats  veneer  before  using  it.  No  matter  how  well 
it  has  been  taken  care  of,  treat  it  to  a  little  drying  in  a 
warm  room  to  insure  drying  out  all  of  the  moisture  be¬ 
fore  using  it.  This  may  seem  a  little  matter,  but  it  is 
attention  to  small  matters  of  this  kind  that  often  marks 
the  difference  between  fairly  good  work  and  entirely 
satisfactory  work.  Surely  if  there  is  moisture  in  the 
sandpaper  that  will  soften  it,  it  is  worth  the  time  it 
takes  to  thoroughly  dry  the  sandpaper  before  using. 


THE  TESTING 
OF  SANDPAPER. 


MOISTURE  IS 
INJURIOUS  TO 
SANDPAPER. 


✓ 


CHAPTER  VII. 


THE  PROCESS  OF  STAINING  WOODS. 

STAINING  is  a  branch  of  finishing  that  requires 
a  man  naturally  adapted  for  the  work  to  produce 
the  best  results,  and  even  then  he  must  give  it 
his  best  efforts.  Each  and  every  stain  has  its  own  pe¬ 
culiarity,  and  the  man  using  it  must  be  able  and  willing 
to  adapt  himself  to  the  requirements  of  the  stain  he  is 
using.  Many  troubles  of  the  finishing  room  and  many 
a  headache  that  the  foreman  finisher  endures  have 
their  inception  in  the  staining  room. 

All  stains  should  be  put  on  quickly.  I  make  no  ex¬ 
ception  to  that  rule.  No  matter  if  it  is  an  oil,  acid, 
spirit  or  water  stain,  in  order  to  insure  satisfactory 
results  in  every  detail  speed  must  be  used  in  applying 
it.  If  one  is  staining  mahogany  veneered  work  with 
water  stain,  it  is  necessary  to  cover  the  surface  in  the 
least  possible  time  in  order  that  the  brush  may  not 
work  up  any  of  the  glue  that  may  have  been  squeezed 
through  to  the  outer  edge  of  the  pores. 

Speed  is  also  necessary  to  insure  a  strictly  uniform 
depth  of  color  throughout  the  surface.  It  is  also  neces¬ 
sary  to  have  a  uniform  way  of  doing  things.  By  that 
I  mean  to  do  the  same  thing  the  same  way  each  time. 
Have  some  system.  Suppose  a  man  has  a  batch  of  50 
mahogany  sideboards  to  stain.  The  first  thing  to  do  is 
to  stain  the  unimportant  parts  such  as  the  back,  bottom 
and  inside  of  the  board  on  your  bench. 

There  are  various  reasons  for  doing  these  parts  first, 
but  the  chief  one  is  this :  If  the  more  prominent  and  im¬ 
portant  parts  were  stained  first  and  one  were  to  allow 
some  stain  to  run  over  an  edge,  or  get  any  stain  on 
these  prominent  parts  after  they  have  once  been 
stained,  it  is  liable  to  show  up  after  goods  are  varnished 
unless  the  utmost  care  is  exercised  in  removing  it. 
Whereas  any  stain  that  may  run  over  on  these  parts, 
while  they  are  yet  in  the  white,  will  be  lifted  and 
worked  out  when  the  regular  coat  is  applied. 


FOREMAN 
FINISHERS 
SHOULD  HAVE 
APTNESS. 


56 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


THE  NEED  OF 

FOLLOWING 

A  SYSTEM. 

Then  have  a  place  to  start  and  a  place  to  stop.  Most 
finishers  work  to.  the  right,  so  in  order  to  illustrate 
what  we  mean  we  will  start  to  stain  at  the  top  of  the 
left  hand  gable.  It  will  facilitate  matters  greatly  if  we 
stain  the  edge  of  the  top  as  we  go  along,  wiping  it  off 
immediately.  This  will  prevent  the  possibility  of  it 
becoming  daubed  and  spotted.  Staining  the  gable,  we 
proceed  to  the  edge  and  the  inside  of  the  pilaster.  This 
done,  we  stain  the  front  edge  of  the  top,  wiping  it  off 
immediately,  and  proceed  downward,  staining  the 
drawer  and  door  divisions.  Then  up  the  truss  and  pi¬ 
laster  on  the  other  side  and  around  to  and  down  the 
right  hand  gable.  Now  the  case  is  all  stained  except 
the  top,  which  is  stained  last.  In  staining  the  flat  of 
the  top  we  will  put  but  a  light  coat  on  the  edges,  which 
have  already  been  stained  and  wiped  off.  This  will 
give  the  edges  the  same  depth  of  color  as  the  rest  of 
the  case. 

By  going  about  the  work  in  this  systematic  way  one 
can  do  more  and  better  work,  with  much  less  labor  and 
worry.  I  have  seen  men  stand  before  a  piece  of  work, 
perhaps  a  large  china  cabinet,  or  some  other  such  arti¬ 
cle,  dreading  to  commence,  fearing  they  would  make  a 
bad  job  of  it  before  they  got  through.  This  would  not 
be  true  if  they  would  plan  out  the  best  way  to  proceed 
and  follow  it  strictly. 

In  staining  mahogany  one  will  frequently  find  a 
piece  of  plain  wood  alongside  of  a  nice  piece  of  African 
stripe.  This  is  more  likely  to  be  found  where  solid  wood 
has  been  used  in  connection  with  veneer.  If  this  plain 
wood  is  left  so,  it  will  not  look  well  after  it  is  finished. 
An  easy  way  to  grain  these  plain  parts  is  as  follows: 
Make  a  small  quantity  of  stain  double  the  strength  of 
that  used  on  the  case,  ordinarily.  Stain  the  case  in  the 
usual  way  with  the  regular  stain  and  when  about  half 
dry  (the  surface  must  still  be  showing  moisture)  ; 
take  a  small  camel  hair  pencil  brush  and  with  the  dark 
stain  stripe  the  plain  parts  to  match  the  balance  of  the 
wood.  If  the  first  coat  is  not  allowed  to  become  too  dry 
before  the  stripes  are  put  on,  the  dark  stain  will  flow 
out  nicely  to  a  fine  feather  edge  and  be  sufficiently  like 
the  genuine  to  puzzle  the  most  expert. ' 

THE  PROCESS  OF  STAINING  WOOD 


57 


To  get  the  same  depth  of  color  on  Cuban  mahogany 
as  on  African  mahogany,  a  stain  about  one-half 
stronger  is  required  for  the  former  than  for  the  latter. 

Birch  may  be  treated  the  same  way  except  that  the 
stain  for  this  wood,  if  it  is  to  match  mahogany,  must  be 
double  the  strength  of  that  used  on  the  mahogany. 
Some  stainers  in  staining  articles  with  both  birch  and 
mahogany  put  two  coats  of  the  ordinary  stain  on  the 
birch.  They  stain  all  the  birch  parts  first,  and  when 
these  are  dry  they  then  stain  the  whole  article. 

Frequently  a  stainer  has  difficulty  in  getting  hand 
carvings  dark  enough.  Mahogany  being  a  soft  wood 
and  the  carver  an  expert,  he  is  able  to  make  complete, 
clean,  perfect  cuts,  which  require  no  sanding  to  make 
them  perfectly  smooth.  But  here  is  where  the  trouble 
lies — they  are  too  smooth.  The  depth  of  color  will  be 
regulated  by  the  absorbing  qualities  of  the  wood  and 
an  absolutely  smooth  piece  of  wood  can  absorb  very 
little  color.  There  must  be  a  loosening  of  the  fibers  to 
enable  the  wood  to  absorb  the  color.  This  can  be  done 
best  by  sanding.  As  previously  explained,  the  coarser 
the  sandpaper  the  more  fiber  will  be  loosened  and 
raised,  and  the  more  of  this  loose  fiber  there  is,  the 
darker  the  stain  will  take.  All  mahogany  carvings, 
therefore,  should  be  sanded  before  staining  if  the 
proper  depth  of  color  is  to  be  expected. 

In  staining  case  goods,  an  air  of  refinement  is  lent 
to  them  if  the  inside  is  stained  about  50  per  cent 
lighter  than  the  exterior.  Open  up  a  sideboard,  dresser 
or  wardrobe,  and  everything  else  being  equal,  if  the 
inside  is  lighter  than  the  outside,  one  is  impressed  with 
the  distinguished  appearance  of  the  whole  thing.  The 
dark  exterior,  by  the  law  of  contrast  and  harmony, 
cives  the  interior  a  chaste  appearance  while  the  latter 
W  the  same  law  increases  the  richness  of  the  color 
effect  of  the  exterior. 

I  have  read  that  a  water  stain  should  be  put  on  with 
a  soonge,  but  I  have  never  been  able  to  find  the  man 
who  could  give  me  the  reason  why.  A  sponge  is  the 
proper  thing  to  use  for  sponging  the  wood  before  stain¬ 
ing.  It  will  help  to  loosen  and  lift  the  fuzz  which  is  to 
be  sanded  off  when  dry.  So  far  as  possible  the  object 


GETTING  THE 
SAME  STAIN 
SHADE. 


STAINING  INSIDE 
OF  CASE 
GOODS  ADDS 
REFINEMENT. 


58 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


BEST  METHOD 
OF  APPLYING 
WATER  STAIN. 


desired  in  sponging  is  to  be  avoided  when  staining.  The 
less  fuzz  raised  with  the  first  stain  the  better. 

A  rubber-bound  polar  bear  hair  brush  is  the  best 
thing  with  which  to  apply  water  stain.  In  putting 
golden  oak  stain  on  large  plain  surfaces  a  more  uniform 
job  can  be  made  if  the  stain  is  applied  with  a  cloth, 
using  the  ordinary  fitch  brush  for  the  smaller  parts.  A 
fitch  is  the  proper  thing  to  use  in  applying  turpentine 
stains,  such  as  most  of  our  Early  English  and  weath¬ 
ered  oak  stains  are. 

If  a  piece  of  stained  wood  which  has  not  had  a  coat 
of  any  other  material,  has  a  patch  of  stain  scraped  off 
and  it  is  desired  to  re-stain  so  that  it  can  never  be  de¬ 
tected,  proceed  as  follows :  First,  stain  the  patch  with 
the  regular  stain  and  allow  it  to  dry.  The  patch  can 
now  be  distinguished  by  a  narrow  border  darker  than 
the  rest  and  which  is  caused  by  the  stain  lapping.  Now 
take  a  small  quantity  of  the  regular  stain  and  reduce 
it  one-half  and  apply  a  coat  of  this  to  the  whole  sur¬ 
face.  When  this  is  dry,  the  border  caused  by  the  lap 
will  have  disappeared  and  the  patch  cannot  be  found. 

In  applying  an  oil  stain,  it  is  necessary  to  spread 
the  stain  out  quickly,  especially  on  oak  in  order  to  pre¬ 
vent  the  large  open  pores  drinking  in  more  than  they 
can  properly  dispose  of.  Extreme  care  must  be  exer¬ 
cised  in  this  respect  when  staining  end  wood.  In 
staining  veneered  work  the  stain  cannot  penetrate 
deeper  than  the  glue ;  but  in  solid  oak  of  the  softer  va¬ 
rieties,  the  stain  will  penetrate  to  a  considerable  depth. 

One  frequently  sees  oak  furniture  with  the  stain 
oozing  out  of  the  pores  in  places.  This  is  usually 
caused  by  one  of  the  three  following  things :  Working 
so  slowly  that  the  stain  is  allowed  to  penetrate  to  a  con¬ 
siderable  depth  before  being  brushed  out;  coating  too 
heavy  with  the  stain,  or  filling  before  the  stain  has 
sufficient  time  to  properly  dry.  Stain  allowed  to  pene¬ 
trate  to  such  a  depth  goes  beyond  the  reach  of  air,  and 
consequently  cannot  dry  in  the  time  usually  allowed 
for  that  purpose. 

After  the  goods  are  filled  and  perhaps  varnished, 
the  stain  deep  down  in  the  pores  begins  to  generate  a 
gas  which  creates  a  pressure  beneath  the  filler,  and 


THE  PROCESS  OF  STAINING  WOOD 


59 


soon  it  throws  out  the  filler  and  varnish  and  begins  to 
ooze  out  itself.  But  it  does  not  always  wait  until  the 
wood  has  been  filled  before  this  action  takes  place.  One 
may  wipe  the  stain  off  clean  and  on  examination  after 
the  goods  have  stood  for  a  few  hours,  find  a  little  circle 
of  hardened  stain  around  each  pore  as  evidence  that  the 
oozing  has  already  commenced. 

When  one  finds  himself  confronted  with  a  condition 
such  as  this,  he  must  call  a  halt  and  either  give  the 
stain  considerable  extra  time  to  dry,  or  do  something 
to  extract  it  from  the  pores.  In  any  event  he  should 
dampen  a  cloth  with  benzine  or  something  similar,  and 
remove  the  circles  from  around  the  pores.  This  will 
likely  give  the  wood  in  the  immediate  vicinity  a  faded 
appearance.  The  proper  thing  to  do  then  is  to  rub  the 
whole  surface  affected  with  the  cloth,  making  it  uni¬ 
form.  Then  take  a  little  stain  on  another  cloth  and  rub 
it  over  the  surface.  This  will  restore  the  proper  shade. 

If  the  goods  are  wanted  quickly,  and  it  is  thought 
that  to  allow  the  stain  to  dry  out  thoroughly  will  con¬ 
sume  too  much  time,  much  of  the  stain  may  be  ex¬ 
tracted  by  applying  to  the  whole  affected  surface  a  good 
coat  of  benzine,  working  it  well  into  the  pores.  Wipe 
this  off  and  apply  a  second  coat,  wiping  it  off  also. 
Allow  a  few  hours  for  drying,  keeping  an  eye  on  it  to 
see  that  any  stain  that  may  continue  to  ooze  out  is 
wiped  off  before  it  hardens.  Then  take  some  stain  on  a 
cloth  and  apply  a  light  coat  to  the  surface,  allowing 
very  little  to  enter  the  pores.  This  will  restore  the 
original  color  which  was  destroyed  by  the  benzine. 

If  stain  oozes  out  after  the  goods  are  filled  and  var¬ 
nished,  it  is  not  remedied  so  easily.  Usually  the  bet¬ 
ter  way  will  be  to  remove  the  varnish,  wash  out  the 
pores  with  benzine  and  refinish. 


ONE  GREAT 
DIFFICULTY 
WITH  STAIN. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


THE  CLASSIFICATION  OF  STAINS. 


STAIN  materials,  as  employed  in  the  production  of 
stains,  cause  our  stains  to  be  classified  as  water 
stains,  oil,  spirit,  and  again  as  acid  or  alkaline 
stains.  Without  a  doubt  those  produced  by  dissolving 
the  color  material  in  water  give  us  the  best  and  most 
satisfactory  medium  for  the  coloring  of  the  wood. 

Artisans  have  argued  that  as  in  most  cases  the  sap 
of  the  wood  in  the  natural  tree  is  mostly  water,  the 
wood  from  this  tree  more  readily  absorbs  a  liquid  of 
the  same  nature.  Therefore,  when  the  color  is  dis¬ 
solved  in  water,  a  more  even  pentration  is  obtained.  It 
also  penetrates  farther,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the 
evaporation  of  the  water  is  not  so  rapid  as  that  of 
alcohol  or  any  of  the  coal  tar  solvents  usually  employed. 
Again,  the  wafer  soluble  color  material  at  hand  ex¬ 
ceeds  all  of  the  others  combined. 

In  describing  stains,  we  have  said  that  the  material 
employed  designates  the  name.  In  the  trade  a  finisher 
immediately  knows  what  materials  are  apt  to  be  em¬ 
ployed  when  he  is  told  that  a  water  stain  was  used.  He 
immediately  seeks  his  supply  of  materials  from  ani¬ 
lines.  If  he  is  told  it  is  an  acid  stain,  he  infers  that 
chemicals  are  employed  and  it  may  be  in  conjunction 
with  an  aniline  color. 

Spirit  stains  of  today  would  indicate  an  aniline, 
soluble  in  alcohols.  Oil  stain  would  indicate  an  aniline 
soluble  in  oil.  By  these  oils,  however,  is  meant  turpen¬ 
tine,  but  more  often  such  hydrocarbon  compounds  as 
benzole,  xytol,  etc.  In  the  alkaline  stains  he  would  look 
for  ammonia,  soda  or  potash,  as  the  case  may  be. 

The  terms  have  simply  been  brought  out  by  the  use 
of  the  materials  employed,  and  as  there  has  never  been 
a  definite  basis  upon  which  to  build  stains,  it  is  the  in¬ 
timate  knowledge  and  practice  that  has  brought  out  to 
the  artisan  an  understanding  of  the  terms  employed. 
The  present-day  demands  upon  the  finishing  depart- 


WATER  STAINS 
ARE  THE  MOST 
SATISFACTORY. 


62 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


WATER  STAINS 
PRODUCE  COLOR 
SHADES. 


ment  are  so  varied  that  a  familiarity  with  all  the  meth¬ 
ods  used  to  arrive  at  a  result  should  be  known  in  that 
part  of  the  factory.  The  more  varied  the  line,  the  still 
greater  are  the  demands  on  the  finishing  end. 

That  water  stains  supply  us  with  practically  every 
shade  that  is  desired  or  in  use  is  a  conceded  fact,  and 
that  they  are  not  always  used  is  usually  a  matter  of 
dollars  and  cents  in  regard  to  the  cost  of  the  finished 
article.  We  do  not  know  of  any  style  that  could  not  be 
produced  with  water  colors.  Of  course,  there  are  always 
these  exceptions,  that  small  obstacles  may  arise  from 
the  use  of  the  water  stain,  such  as  thin  veneers  and 
delicate  woods,  and  in  these  places  the  oil  color  or  the 
spirit  color  is  usually  brought  into  play. 

The  comparative  value  of  these  stains,  and  it  must 
be  understood  that  we  are  talking  of  the  present  day 
method  of  production,  is  all  in  favor  of  the  water  stain, 
particularly  in  regard  to  its  permanency  and  fastness 
to  light.  Spirit  stains  and  oil  stains  will  fade,  the  per¬ 
centage,  however,  varying  greatly  in  accordance  with 
the  colors.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  it  is  unadvisable  to  use 
a  combination  of  stains  on  any  one  job.  Spirit  stains 
are  usually  used  for  quick  work  or  for  touching  up.  and 
that  is  all  the  consideration  they  should  be  entitled  to 
when  their  qualifications  in  regard  to  permanency  are 
considered. 

Oil  stains  are  usually  employed  on  the  cheaper 
grades  of  furniture,  and  where  the  finish  is  put  on  so 
heavy  as  to  thoroughly  protect  them  against  the  air. 
The  effect  of  the  light  is  then  greatly  modified  owing  to 
the  fact  that  the  light  is  without  the  assistance  of  air 
and  in  consequence  oil  stains  are  claimed  to  be  per¬ 
manent.  On  the  interior  of  case  goods,  oil  stains  are 
in  favor.  They  do  not  require  the  subsequent  sanding, 
and  the  variations  of  shades  due  to  the  wood  are  not 
objected  to  as  they  would  be  on  the  outer  surfaces. 

We  do  not  consider  plant  extracts  in  our  industry, 
as  they  are  practically  off  the  market,  and  it  is  difficult 
to  obtain  them  of  a  uniform  strength.  We  mention  acid 
and  alkaline  stains.  Generally  speaking  an  acid  stain 
is  one  in  which  we  find  chromic,  acetic,  tannic  and  pyro- 
gallic  acids,  and  in  which  the  solution  has  an  acid  re- 


THE  CLASSIFICATION  OF  STAINS 


63 


action  stronger  than  that  of  the  anilines,  although 
usually  they  are  employed  in  conjunction  with  an  ani¬ 
line. 

The  tannic  and  the  pyrogallic,  however,  form  the 
basis  of  brown  shades  produced  by  the  subsequent  ap¬ 
plication  of  alkalies.  These  alkaline  stains,  we  said, 
were  made  out  of  the  volatile  alkali,  ammonia  and  the 
fixed  alkali  of  soda  and  potash  salts.  We  say  a  volatile 
alkali  when  speaking  of  ammonia  and  it  is  well  to  re¬ 
member  that  word.  Ammonia  itself  is  a  gas,  and  the 
only  way  we  can  handle  it  is  by  the  absorption  of  a 
certain  amount  of  this  gas  when  it  is  run  into  water. 
This,  however,  is  not  a  fixed  or  definite  proposition. 
Every  time  it  is  handled,  the  amount  of  ammonia  gas  is 
reduced.  Stains  in  which  ammonia  is  employed  should 
be  made  up  fresh,  and  to  be  accurate  should  be  made 
according  to  hydrometer  tests. 

Uniformity  of  color  is  the  great  essential.  After  a 
stain  is  once  found  correct,  the  greatest  difficulty  is  to 
keep  it  uniform.  This  is  a  difficult  proposition  where 
ammonia  is  employed.  Therefore,  the  fixed  alkalies  are 
preferable.  In  general,  alkalies  produce  a  brown  shade 
when  applied  to  wood,  and  this  peculiar  action  is  taken 
advantage  of  as  much  as  possible  without  injury  to  the 
wood,  to  the  brushes,  or  the  hands  of  the  operator. 

In  this  method  of  staining,  the  volatile  alkali,  am¬ 
monia,  has  an  advantage  over  the  fixed  alkalies.  For 
after  it  has  been  applied  and  the  work  done,  nothing 
remains  on  the  wood  that  could  produce  a  deleterious 
effect  upon  the  subsequent  finish.  However,  where  the 
fixed  alkalies  are  employed,  if  the  amount  be  too  great, 
their  presence  on  and  in  the  texture  of  the  wood  is  apt 
to  affect  the  subsequent  coatings,  through  their  saponi¬ 
fication  of  the  oils  employed  in  the  finishing  processes. 

Alkalies,  in  conjunction  with  the  chrome  salts,  are 
very  popular  just  now  in  producing  the  various  shades 
of  brown,  and  bring  what  we  call  a  strictly  chemical 
stain,  in  aqueous  solution,  penetrate  deeper,  and  in 
consequence  a  more  satisfactory  result  is  obtained 
than  from  staining  which  leaves  a  superficial  coloring. 
Thus  it  will  be  noted  that  alkaline  stains  have  a  decided 
alkaline  reaction  to  litmus  paper. 


ACID  STAINS 
INTRODUCED. 


UNIFORMITY 
OF  COLOR  AN 
ESSENTIAL. 


64 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


HOW  AN  ACID 
STAIN  SHOULD 
BE  MADE  UP. 


Before  touching  upon  the  reaction  through  which 
still  deeper  colors  are  obtained,  by  the  use  of  the  two 
diametrically  opposite  stains,  alkaline  and  acid,  just  a 
word  or  two  of  the  trade’s  conception  of  an  acid  stain. 
It  should  be  a  stain  made  up  of  acids  and  have  an  acid 
reaction,  but  unfortunately,  any  stain  in  which  chemi¬ 
cals  are  employed,  and  which  have  a  corrosive  action 
on  the  wood  and  particularly  on  the  hands,  is  termed 
an  acid  stain.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  it  is  judged  by  the 
effect  rather  than  from  the  material  of  which  it  is  made. 

Acid  stains  are  few,  but  the  acids  employed  in  con¬ 
junction  with  materials  held  in  solution  in  acid  re¬ 
acting  liquid  should  be  termed  acid  stains.  Not  only 
are  they  made  up  of  acid  re-acting  stain  materials,  but 
as  a  rule  an  excess  of  some  acid  is  present  which  still 
further  facilitates  penetration  and  color.  Simple  acid 
stains,  such  as  solution  of  tannic  acid  or  pyrogallic 
acid,  produce  very  little  color  in  themselves;  chromic 
acid  produces  a  greater  amount  of  color;  picric  acid  a 
decided  yellow.  When  this  acid  is  used,  in  conjunction 
with  a  nigrosine,  we  produce  the  popular  Early  Eng¬ 
lish,  and  the  acid  has  a  double  purpose  in  its  yellow 
color ;  it  produces  the  olive  black  typical  of  Early  Eng¬ 
lish  stains,  increases  the  penetration  of  the  stain,  and 
acts  as  a  mordant  for  the  aniline. 

Speaking  of  the  results  obtained  by  the  use  of  the 
alkaline  stains,  and  the  acid  stains,  it  is  understood 
that  this  depends  upon  two  separate  applications.  One 
could  not  mix  the  two  and  obtain  the  results.  The 
chemical  change  which  takes  place  must  take  place  in 
the  wood,  in  order  to  produce  the  color.  It  is  exempli¬ 
fied  particularly  in  the  production  of  fumed  oak,  by  the 
first  coat  being  of  tannic  and  pyrogallic  acid  and  the 
subsequent  coat,  a  strong  alkaline  solution  of  bichro¬ 
mate  of  potash,  and  possibly  other  chemicals,  showing 
clearly  that  the  two  entirely  opposite  compounds  when 
applied  separately  will  produce  colors  in  strength  in 
direct  ratio  to  the  quantity  of  color  chemicals  employed. 

We  have  spoken  of  oil  stains  and  spirit  stains. 
Where  the  simple  coloring  of  wood  is  desired,  they  give 
us  a  very  quick  method  of  producing  a  color  which  is 
ready  for  further  finishing  in  a  very  short  time.  Those 


THE  CLASSIFICATION  OF  STAINS 


65 


of  experience  know  the  delicacy  with  which  it  must  be 
handled  in  a  subsequent  procedure.  Spirit  stains,  owing 
to  the  fact  that  they  dry  quickly,  penetrate  correspond¬ 
ingly  less.  Oil  stains  may  penetrate  more,  but  both  are 
apt  to  lift  with  filler  coats  or  shellac.  The  spirit  stain  is 
apt  to  color  the  shellac  and  thus  be  unevenly  deposited 
on  the  work. 

A  comparison  must  determine  judgment  upon  these 
various  stains  as  to  their  qualifications  for  producing 
the  best  results.  They  all  have  a  place  in  the  finishing 
room,  but  for  general  good  work,  the  water  stain 
seems  to  give  best  that  which  is  wanted. 


WATER  STAIN 
GIVES  BEST 
RESULTS. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


STAINING  WITH  CERTAINTY  OF  RESULTS. 


MANUFACTURING  today  calls  for  time  limits, 
and  this  affects  the  finishing  as  well  as  other 
departments.  Stains,  therefore,  should  be  pre¬ 
pared  so  that  the  application  in  the  regular  manner  will 
produce  the  desired  color  without  any  after-staining 
or  restaining.  Those  that  are  preferred  make  it  pos¬ 
sible  to  obtain  the  desired  color  with  one  application, 
or  possibly  two  applications  of  the  same  stain.  It  is  a 
peculiar  fact  that,  as  a  rule,  repeated  coats  produce 
diversified  results. 

In  chemical  stains  the  color  production  depends 
upon  the  chemical  reaction  of  the  first  coat  in  conjunc¬ 
tion  with  the  color-giving  materials  naturally  present 
in  the  wood,  and  the  chemicals  applied  in  the  second 
coat  of  stain.  Chemical  stains  differ  in  their  results 
inasmuch  as  the  actual  chemical  change  that  takes  place 
is  definite,  and  can  be  ascertained  before  the  applica¬ 
tion  of  either  coat.  The  variance,  therefore,  that  may 
take  place  is  due  only  to  such  color-giving  materials 
as  naturally  may  be  contained  in  the  wood. 

To  overcome  this  uncertainty,  usually  an  excess  of 
that  which  nature  has  furnished  is  applied,  so  that 
when  the  second  coat  is  applied  the  chemical  change 
depends  upon  the  amount  of  chemicals  in  the  second 
coat,  and,  therefore,  is  definite.  An  example  of  this  is 
found  in  the  present  methods  of  producing  brown,  such 
as  fumed  oak,  by  the  application  in  the  first  coats  of 
tannic  and  pyrogallic  acids,  and  the  subsequent  chemi¬ 
cal  change  which  takes  place  when  a  solution  of  po¬ 
tassium  bichromate,  potassium  carbonate,  copper  sul¬ 
phate,  stronger  water  of  ammonia  (26  degree)  in 
water,  is  applied. 

It  sometimes  becomes  necessary,  in  order  to  produce 
odd  shades,  to  use  two  different  anilines.  We  said 
“different”  because  they  may  be  of  different  series, 
that  is,  one  color  might  be  known  as  an  acid  color,  and 


PREPARING 
STAINS  SO  AS 
TO  AVOID  ANY 
RESTAINING. 


68 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


PRODUCING 
ODD  SHADES. 


THE  FOREMAN 
FINISHER  DIC¬ 
TATES  SUPPLIES. 


the  other  as  an  Alizarean  color,  or  a  basic  color.  No 
two  of  these  colors  could  be  mixed  in  one  solution,  and 
therefore  the  shade  may  be  obtained  by  the  application 
of  one,  and  when  this  is  thoroughly  dried,  the  second 
one  is  coated  over  the  first.  This  is  not  recommended, 
but  it  shows  a  means  by  which  the  end  can  be  obtained. 
After  the  wood  so  colored  has  been  finished,  the  color 
is  usually  permanent,  but  not  always.  It  depends  upon 
what  combinations  were  employed,  and  how  thor¬ 
oughly  the' finishing  coat  protects  it,  and  the  amount  of 
light  that  the  product  is  exposed  to. 

The  cost  of  production  is  a  question  ever  present 
with  the  manufacturer.  Those  who  recommend  water 
stains  are  confronted  by  the  arguments  of  those  who 
recommend  oil  stains,  and  of  those  who  recommend 
spirit  stains.  The  consumer  of  stains,  that  is,  the  man 
who  actually  is  in  charge — the  foreman  finisher — un¬ 
doubtedly  is  the  controlling  spirit  in  each  factory,  and, 
as  a  rule,  the  methods  favored  by  him  dictate  the  sup¬ 
plies  of  that  factory. 

If  he  is  using  water  stains,  he  can  tell  you  to  the 
penny  how  much  each  gallon  of  stain  costs ;  he  is  usu¬ 
ally  familiar  with  all  the  colors,  chemicals  and  dye 
stuffs  that  are  required  for  the  production  of  a  stain. 
The  more  he  handles  them,  the  more  he  becomes  ac¬ 
quainted  with  their  peculiarities  and  thus  he  is  more 
capable  of  circumventing  any  of  the  eccentricities  that 
arise  occasionally  wherever  chemical  and  kindred  mix¬ 
tures  are  made. 

A  factory,  as  a  rule,  is  quite  unlike  a  laboratory. 
Things  have  not  been  brought  down  to  the  nicety  which 
the  chemist  has  learned  by  experience  must  be  present 
in  order  to  have  accuracy.  The  dried  residue  of  a 
previous  mixture  may  go  unnoticed  in  the  use  of  a 
measuring  glass  or  container,  and  the  amount  of  dam¬ 
age  done  to  the  new  mixture  is  not  realized,  until,  per¬ 
haps,  an  entire  mixture  goes  wrong,  the  reason  for 
which  is  afterwards  ascertained  by  experiment  or 
otherwise.  The  natural  precaution  then  would  be  that 
every  vessel,  dish  or  container  employed  in  the  finishing 
room  be  cleansed  thoroughly  before  it  is  again  put  to 


use. 


STAINING  WITH  CERTAINTY  OF  RESULTS 


69 


We  stated  that  the  finisher  employing  water  stains 
would  be  confronted  with  arguments  from  those  em¬ 
ploying  other  stains.  He  will  be  told  that  the  necessary 
sanding  overcomes  that  difference  in  cost  which  he 
saves  from  the  fact  that  water  stains  are  cheaper.  This 
statement  I  doubt  very  much.  Gallon  for  gallon,  a  water 
stain  will  go  farther  than  an  oil  stain ;  it  will  go  much 
farther  than  than  a  spirit  stain.  Except  for  the  sand¬ 
ing  expense,  each  costs  more  than  the  water  stain,  and 
owing  to  their  quick  penetration,  neither  will  go  as  far 
as  a  water  stain ;  and,  lastly,  they  are  not  as  permanent. 

Further,  there  are  but  very  few  chemicals,  if  any, 
that  are  soluble  in  either  oil  vehicles  or  spirits.  There¬ 
fore  the  colors  depend  on  oleic  or  stearic  derivitives  of 
the  anilines,  or  that  series  of  anilines  which  are  soluble 
in  spirits.  Another  peculiarity  is  the  fact  that  oil 
stains  are  used  in  factories  where  quick  results  are 
desired.  Spirit  stains  do  not  enter  into  the  furniture 
industry  to  any  great  extent,  and,  therefore,  may  be 
dropped  from  consideration  here. 

However,  since  the  advent  of  denatured  alcohol  the 
cost  of  spirit  stains  has  been  reduced  greatly.  They 
all  have  their  places,  and  it  is  a  fact  that  one  cannot  do 
what  the  others  can  do.  A  manufacturer  of  cheap 
wooden  toys  who  can  immerse  them  into  a  water  solu¬ 
tion  of  color  by  the  basketful,  and  which  sell  for  a  few 
cents,  would  not  be  expected  to  dip  them  in  a  spirit 
stain,  costing  10  to  20  times  as  much.  Thus  the  selec¬ 
tion  of  the  stain  must  be  governed  by  the  work  at  hand. 


WATER  STAIN 
IS  THE  MOST 
WORKABLE. 


CHAPTER  X. 


GENERAL  RULES  FOR  STAINING  WOOD. 

WOOD  staining  not  only  requires  the  production 
of  a  stain,  and  the  application  of  the  various 
stain  solutions,  but  the  rational  application 
of  stain  and  a  certain  amount  of  knowledge  of  the  dif¬ 
ferent  woods  in  regard  to  their  adaptability  and  sus¬ 
ceptibility  toward  a  certain  stain.  With  one  and  the 
same  stain  different  results  are  obtained  when  applied 
to  various  woods.  This  is  due  to  the  very  different 
chemical  constituency  of  woods,  which  tannin  or  tannic 
acid,  which  is  present  in  larger  or  smaller  quantities, 
produces  on  many  of  the  stains,  chemical  action  vary¬ 
ing  in  results  according  to  the  quantity  of  this  chemi¬ 
cal  present. 

Two  examples  will  explain:  First,  in  applying  a 
solution  of  two  ounces  of  bichromate  of  potash  in  a 
half  gallon  of  water  to  a  species  of  wood,  such  as  pine, 
or  similar  wood  which  contains  a  very  small  amount 
of  tannin,  the  result  will  be  that  of  a  light  yellow  due 
to  the  chrome  bichromate,  which  unfortunately  is  not 
fast  to  light,  and,  therefore,  in  this  case  is  worthless. 
On  the  contrary,  if  you  take  the  same  bichromate  of 
potash  solution  and  apply  it  to  any  of  the  oaks,  which 
are  rich  in  tannin,  the  results  will  be  a  yellow  brown 
color,  comparatively  permanent  when  subjected  to 
light  or  air.  This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  tannic  acid 
present  unites  with  the  bichromate,  forming  a  brown 
color  material.  Similar  effects  are  to  be  had  when  this 
bichromate  solution  is  applied  to  mahogany  or  black 
walnut,  as  both  of  these  woods  contain  considerable 
tannin. 

Second,  stain  whitewood  or  any  wood  in  which  the 
tannin  is  practically  absent  with  a  solution  of  sulphate 
of  iron,  one  ounce,  water  one  gallon,  the  result  will  be 
negative.  However,  if  the  same  solution  should  be  ap¬ 
plied  to  ash,  oak  or  even  maple,  a  gray  color  will  be 
produced  and  on  the  oak  it  is  very  often  possible  to 


RESULTS  VARY 
WITH  SAME 
STAIN. 


72 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


RESULTS  ARE 
DEPENDENT 
ON  TEXTURE. 


LOCALITY 
INFLUENCES 
THE  COLOR. 


get  the  dark  blue  grays  verging  into  black.  This  is 
obtained  from  the  fact  that  sulphate  of  iron,  or  in  fact, 
any  salt  of  iron,  when  subjected  to  the  action  of  tannic 
acid  produces  tannate  of  iron,  which  is  the  color-giving 
result  of  the  procedure. 

The  different  textures  of  tne  woods,  designated 
hard  and  soft,  have  a  good  deal  to  do  with  the  results 
obtained  by  the  application  of  the  stain.  In  a  closely 
grained  wood  of  a  hard  texture  the  penetration  of  the 
stain  is  retarded,  when  on  the  contrary  large-pored 
wood  absorbs  more  stain,  much  quicker,  with  the  result 
that  an  ordinary  application  of  one  stain  on  the  two 
different  kinds  of  wood  will  produce  vastly  different 
results.  If  one  wishes  to  match  the  hardwood  with  that 
of  a  soft,  it  will  be  necessary  to  increase  the  strength 
of  the  stain,  which  is  far  preferable  to  the  possible  ap¬ 
plication  of  several  coats  of  stain.  In  case  of  match¬ 
ing  the  hardwood  by  staining  a  soft  wood,  the  stain  will 
have  to  be  reduced  in  proportion.  This  is  recommended 
only  after  repeated  tests  have  been  made.  A  porous 
wood  might  give  indications  of  being  dry,  and  as  tests 
are  usually  hurried  the  operator  is  apt  to  fool  himself 
and  to  find  later  the  results  are  too  dark. 

A  certain  stain  applied  to  a  certain  species  of  wood 
may  not  always  give  identical  results,  and  in  conse¬ 
quence  the  operator  must  be  continually  on  his  guard, 
as  various  growths  and  various  localities  will  affect  the 
stain  with  enough  difference  to  manifest  itself  in  the 
color  produced.  A  thorough  operator  soon  becomes 
aware  of  these  peculiarities,  and  by  applying  the  stain 
heavier  or  lighter  he  will  succeed  fairly  well  in  holding 
to  a  uniformity  of  shade.  Extreme  cases,  of  course, 
need  individual  attention. 

Woods  containing  a  great  deal  of  sap,  or  resinous 
matter,  present  their  difficulties  especially  when  water 
stains  are  employed,  but  as  they  are  not  much  employed 
in  good  furniture  and  as  we  have  already  touched  upon 
the  handling  of  the  stain,  it  will  suffice  to  say  that  oc¬ 
casional  resinous  portions  that  are  met  in  cabinet 
woods  are  better  individually  treated.  Where  stains 
depend  upon  the  presence  of  a  certain  quantity  of 
tannin,  the  formula  usually  employed  is  built  up  so 


GENERAL  RULES  FOR  STAINING  WOOD 


73 


that  the  minimum  amount  of  tannin  present  will  suffice 
to  make  the  color  desired;  otherwise  the  application 
of  tannin  is  resorted  to. 

It  may  be  said  that  stains  consisting  entirely  of  the 
aniline  dyes,  in  solution,  reach  their  final  shade  much 
sooner,  ana  with  much  more  uniformity,  than  those 
which  are  made  up  of  combinations  of  dyes  and  chemi 
cals.  It  may  be  stated  as  universally  true,  that  where 
chemicals  are  employed,  some  sort  of  chemical  reac¬ 
tion  is  relied  upon  to  produce  the  desired  color.  There¬ 
fore,  it  will  be  seen  readily  that  when  the  material  to 
be  stained  is  not  always  alike,  although  the  same  kind 
of  wood,  yet  of  sufficient  difference  in  its  physical  con¬ 
stituency  to  make  possible  slight  variance,  from  24  to 
48  hours  are  required  for  the  complete  chemical  re¬ 
action. 

Stains  containing  chemicals  should  be  permitted  to 
dry  from  24  to  48  hours  in  normal  temperature,  in 
rooms  that  have  a  good  circulation  of  air.  Whatever 
chemical  changes  are  to  take  place  will  have  been  com¬ 
pletely  consummated  within  this  lapse  of  time. 

Where  more  than  one  coat  of  stain  is  required  to 
produce  certain  colors,  it  is  always  best  to  allow  at 
least  24  hours  between  each  coat.  Sand  the  first  coat 
after  it  is  thoroughly  dry,  and  then  apply  the  second 
coat.  This  is  just  as  essential,  whether  the  stain  is  made 
up  of  anilines  or  chemicals,  the  desire  always  being  to 
produce  a  stain  that  is  permanent.  It  may  be  well  to 
state  again  that  not  all  color  materials  permit  being 
dissolved  in  one  vehicle  without  injury  to  one  another. 
That  the  novice  may  thoroughly  understand,  and  fur¬ 
ther  have  a  method  of  ascertaining  and  recognizing  the 
fact  when  any  of  the  rules  are  infringed  upon,  the  fol¬ 
lowing  explanation  will  bring  out  the  point : 

We  have  said  there  are  several  kinds  of  anilines. 
The  acid  anilines  and  the  basic  anilines,  both  are  water 
soluble.  The  finisher,  however,  is  unable  to  tell  to  what 
group  they  belong.  It  may  be  he  has  a  beautiful  shade 
of  brown  which  has  been  doing  his  work,  and  he 
wishes  to  employ  it  in  conjunction  with  some  other 
colors.  Not  knowing  that  they  are  antagonistic,  he 
makes  his  mixture  which  may  not  at  once  manifest  the 


ANILINE  DYES 
MORE  UNIFORM' 
THAN  OTHERS. 


74 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


ANTAGONISM 
OF  VARIOUS 
ANILINES. 


chemical  change  that  is  about  to  take  place  or  is  taking 
place.  Later  on,  however,  a  precipitate  which  is  first 
recognized  by  the  turbid  appearance  of  the  solution  will 
show  that  the  chemical  reaction  which  is  taking  place 
is  throwing  part  of  the  color  material  out  of  solution, 
and  the  stain,  therefore,  has  become  an  unstable  com¬ 
pound.  As  long  as  any  chemical  reaction  takes  place, 
there  is  an  uncertainty  about  the  color.  This,  however, 
has  a  fixed  and  definite  place  as  soon  as  the  acid  has 
been  neutralized  by  the  alkali.  The  chemical  action 
ceases,  but  in  dealing  with  two  color  compounds,  where 
the  chemicals  are  aniline  salts  we  are  treading  on 
pretty  thin  ice  in  an  effort  to  obtain  a  color,  and,  there¬ 
fore,  it  is  always  best  to  discard  any  attempt  at  pro¬ 
ducing  a  stain  by  the  use  of  anilines  of  different  reac¬ 
tions. 

This  undoubtedly  will  find  some  exponents  who  have 
had  satisfactory  results  by  having  done  just  what  we 
say  not  to  do,  probably  for  this  reason :  They  use  ma¬ 
terial  far  in  excess  of  the  amount  required,  and  thus 
overcome  that  which  was  lost  by  precipitation.  The 
excess  color  having  precipitated  out,  left  in  solution 
enough  color  material  to  produce  the  result.  It  will  be 
seen  that  this  is  an  expensive  and  uncertain  way  be-, 
cause  at  different  temperatures  there  would  be  more  or 
less  precipitation,  with  a  probability  of  a  turbid  solu¬ 
tion  which  at  its  best  is  not  a  satisfactory  stain. 

In  a  measure  this  applies  to  chemicals.  It  may  be 
known  that  one  chemical  applied  to  wood  will  produce 
a  certain  color,  and  if  a  second  chemical  be  applied  over 
that  coat  a  different  color  is  produced,  but  that  in  no 
way  signifies  that  the  two  chemicals  may  be  mixed  in 
solution  and  with  one  coat  produce  the  same  results. 
Again,  for  example,  if  wood  is  coated  with  an  iron 
salt,  the  usual  color  is  a  shade  of  gray.  If  a  strong 
alkali  is  dissolved  in  water,  and  put  over  this  gray  coat 
a  brown  of  some  shade  is  produced. 

If  you  take  any  iron  salt,  and  dissolve  it  in  water 
(practically  all  iron  salts  are  soluble  in  water)  and  add 
to  this  solution  any  form  of  alkaline  salt,  or  alkali, 
such  as  potash,  soda,  or  ammonia,  or  their  salts,  such 
as  carbonate  of  potash,  carbonate  of  soda  (respective^, 


I 

GENERAL  RULES  FOR  STAINING  WOOD  75 

salts  of  tartar  or  sal  soda),  a  brown  precipitate  is  the 
result.  The  brown  precipitate  is  represented  as  the 
oxide  of  iron.  The  balance  of  the  solution  will  contain 
the  acid  radical  of  the  iron  salt  as  having  combined 
with  the  alkaline  base  of  potash  or  soda.  We  have  then 
a  cloudy  solution,  which  cloudiness  is  due  to  the  oxide 
of  iron,  and  which  will  settle,  and  leave  in  the  solution 
the  salts  of  the  alkalies,  whichever  may  have  been  em¬ 
ployed,  showing  us  clearly  that  by  application  of  the 
same  material  in  separate  coats  it  was  possible  to  ob¬ 
tain  a  certain  color  on  the  wood,  but  that  it  is  not  at  all 
feasible  to  attempt  to  do  it  in  one  coat  by  putting  the 
various  materials  into  one  solution. 

By  giving  our  readers  such  a  strong  illustration  it 
carries  with  it  an  exemplification  of  that  which  is  often 
attempted,  and  the  failure  not  recognized.  If  our 
readers  will  but  take  the  time  to  carry  out  the  last  ex¬ 
ample  and  make  practical  experiments,  the  resultant 
information  will  be  invaluable. 

Producing  solutions  of  anilines,  dye  stuffs  and 
chemicals  should  always  be  carried  on  with  a  certain 
degree  of  care,  and  especially  cleanliness.  Water  being 
the  most  commonly  employed  solvent,  a  certain  amount 
of  care  is  to  be  given.  It  is  a  well  known  fact  that  cer¬ 
tain  waters  are  hard,  especially  those  taken  from  wells. 
Some  may  contain  magnesium,  and  some  iron,  but  in 
most  cases  they  all  contain  more  or  less  lime.  The  dif¬ 
ferent  percentages  of  any  of  these  present  affect  the 
color  materials  in  their  same  ratio.  It  is  best,  there¬ 
fore,  to  employ  boiled  water,  or  in  a  factory  to  obtain 
the  water  from  the  returned  steam.  The  dishes  or 
containers  employed  should  be  absolutely  clean.  Noth¬ 
ing  is  better  than  earthenware  and  glass  measures. 
Solutions  are  best  obtained  by  employing  hot  water. 
The  maximum  amount  of  color  material  can  be  dis¬ 
solved  at  increased  temperatures.  Thorough  solutions 
are  obtained  by  powdering  the  dye  stuffs,  by  stirring 
and  agitating  while  dissolving  the  material,  and  by  in¬ 
creasing  the  temperature  by  boiling  the  solution. 

An  excess  amount  of  color  material  may  be  brought 
into  solution  by  boiling,  which  will  again  solidify  or 
precipitate  out  when  the  temperature  falls  to  normal. 


A  PRACTICAL 

ILLUSTRATION 

GIVEN. 


GREAT  NEED 
OF  CARE  AND 
CLEANLINESS. 


EXTRACTS 
EXPOSED  TO 
AIR  DIFFICULT 
TO  HANDLE. 


rtC _ PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  -ROOM 

Let  it  be  understood  that  the  application  of  heat  is  used 
only  to  hasten  the  dissolving  of  the  color  material. 

In  the  case  of  vegetable  extracts,  such  as  logwood, 
japonica,  cutch,  etc.,  uniformity  is  absolutely  neces¬ 
sary.  If  they  are  kept  exposed  to  air,  which  carries 
with  it  a  certain  amount  of  moisture,  these  materials 
are  apt  to  absorb  this  moisture,  and  then  take  on  a 
thick,  gummy  consistency,  difficult  to  handle,  or  if  kept 
in  extreme  hot  or  dry  places,  they  are  apt  to  cake,  and 
then  become  difficult  to  remove  from  their  container. 

All  chemicals  should  be  kept  in  air-tight  containers ; 
especially  is  this  necessary  in  factories  where  there  are 
more  or  less  vapors  and  gases  to  contend  with.  There  is 
ever  present  in  air,  carbonic  acid  gas,  which  in  itself 
is  a  chemical  reagent  to  which  color  materials  are  sus¬ 
ceptible.  It  will  readily  be  seen  if  a  chemical  formula, 
a  stain  formula,  were  made  up  from  material  received 
in  prime  condition,  that  it  is  absolutely  essential  the 
material  be  kept  in  that  condition  until  it  is  consumed 
for  the  sake  of  uniformity.  Much  of  the  difficulty,  the 
continual  doctoring  of  formulas,  is  traceable  directly 
to  the  indifferent  handling  of  the  materials,  dirty 
dishes,  uncovered  containers,  in  fact,  complete  disre¬ 
gard  for  any  of  the  physical  peculiarities  which  are  so 
common  to  dye  materials. 

Having  obtained  the  formula,  make  a  record  of  each 
ingredient ;  weigh  carefully,  and  take  care  that  a  com¬ 
plete  solution  is  made.  If  an  article  is  given  you  as 
water  soluble,  the  success  of  your  formula  depends 
upon  making  an  entire  solution  of  it.  Should  the  mix¬ 
ture  become  clouded,  you  have  no  way  of  telling  what 
percentage  of  your  color  is  going  to  precipitate  out. 
The  very  fact  that  the  solution  is  cloudy  or  turbid  must 
tell  you  that  something  is  not  completely  in  a  state  of 
solution. 

Every  color-giving  article  has  its  percentage  of 
solubility.  Some  of  them  are  greater  than  others.  You 
will  find,  as  a  rule,  that  the  nigrosines  have  a  greater 
solubility  than  the  oranges.  The  same  is  true  of  most 
of  the  lighter  shades.  When  you  go  beyond  that  per¬ 
centage,  heat  will  greatly  increase  the  percentage  of 
color  that  you  cannot  dissolve.  But  it  is  not  safe  to  at- 


GENERAL  RULES  FOR  STAINING  WOOD 


77 


tempt  this  remedy  unless  you  can  apply  the  stain  hot. 
While  we  recommend  the  dissolving  of  colors  by  heat¬ 
ing,  this  is  more  to  hasten  the  solution  than  otherwise 
The  complete  solubility  to  be  employed  is  that  which 
will  stand  at  a  temperature  of  about  50  degrees.  Your 
solution  must  remain  clear  at  that  temperature.  Should 
it  precipitate  out,  as  it  many  times  does,  where  water 
stains  are  subjected  to  freezing  temperature,  it  should 
be  dissolved  again  by  heat,  for  be  it  known  that  crystal¬ 
lization  takes  place  by  the  chilling  of  saturated  solu¬ 
tions. 

When  a  chilled  solution  begins  to ;  crystallize,  the 
crystallization  takes  from  the  solution  a  larger  per¬ 
centage  of  color  than  one  can  realize.  In  some  cases  it 
almost  exhausts  the  solution  of  the  color  material  that 
had  heretofore  been  in  complete  solution.  Therefore,  in 
cold  weather,  when  your  stain  begins  to  run  light,  the, 
above  may  give  you  a  cue  for  remedying  the  trouble. 
Again,  in  some  mixtures,  the  chilling  may  affect  one 
color  and  not  another.  Alcohol  mixtures  are  not  so 
easily  affected.  Oil  mixtures  are  very  seldom  affected, 
but  oil  colors  will  crystallize,  especially  where  the  sol¬ 
vents  are  loaded  to  obtain  the  desired  shades. 

The  practical  man  at  once  will  recognize  that  if  he 
dissolves  his  color  material  by  the  aid  of  heat,  and  it 
precipitates  when  it  again  resumes  the  temperature  of 
the  room,  he  has  a  super-saturated  solution,  and  he  will 
have  to  increase  the  amount  of  water  or  decrease  the 
amount  of  material.  There  are  cases  where  it  is  neces¬ 
sary,  in  order  to  get  the  depth  of  color,  to  use  super¬ 
saturated  solution.  This  is  sometimes  the  case  where 
dipping  is  employed,  such  as  small  parts,  and  in  these 
cases  the  solution  is  kept  at  a  boiling  point  by  the  in¬ 
jection  of  steam  by  means  of  a  steam  jet. 

The  careful  operator  filters  his  stains,  and  a  felt 
filter  is  a  most  desirable  stain  room  accessory. 

All  color  materials,  whether  anilines,  vegetable  ex¬ 
tracts  or  chemicals,  should  be  kept  in  sealed  packages 
in  a  dry,  but  not  too  warm  room.  Many  of  them  have 
a  peculiarity  of  absorbing  moisture  from  the  air. 
Others  give  off  moisture.  It  is  not  uncommon  to  take 
a  can  of  carbonate  of  potash  and  on  opening  it  find  it 


HEAT  WILL 
INCREASE 
PERCENTAGE 
OF  SOLUBILITY. 


COLOR 
MATERIALS 
SHOULD  BE 
KEPT  DRY. 


78 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


in  a  white  granular  salt.  Put  it  back  on  the  shelf  with¬ 
out  sealing  it,  or  closing  the  can,  only  to  find  the  next 
time  you  want  it,  it  has  liquified.  If  any  of  it  remains 
so  you  can  put  it  on  a  scale,  you  cannot  say  with  cer¬ 
tainty  whether  the  ounce  or  two  you  are  weighing  out 
represents  the  same  strength  that  the  first  portion  you 
took  out  represented. 

This  is  a  case  of  absorption  of  moisture  from  the 


MOISTURE  IS 
ABSORBED  FROM 
AIR  BY  SOME 
COLORS. 


air. 

Again,  you  may  have  a  pound  of  sulphate  of  iron 
crystals.  When  you  received  these  crystals  they  were 
bright  green,  glass-like  particles.  Going  through  the 
same  procedure,  you  will  find  the  next  time  that  each 
crystal  is  coated  with  a  grayish  powder,  and  if  you 
weigh  the  same  quantity  of  this  sulphate  of  iron  in  its 
second  condition,  you  will  have  a  vastly  larger  amount 
of  sulphate  of  iron  in  your  second  weighing  than  you 
did  in  the  first.  For  sulphate  of  iron  in  its  crystalline 
form  contains  a  large  amount  of  water,  and  when  it  is 
not  kept  in  an  absolutely  air-tight  container,  it  will 
give  off  some  of  this  water  of  crystallization  with  the 
result  that  a  large  percentage  of  sulphate  of  iron, 
known  as  dried  sulphate  of  iron,  is  present. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


THE  APPLYING  OF  STAIN  TO  WOOD. 


THE  various  stain  solutions  are  usually  applied 
cold.  Occasionally  they  are  warmed  in  order 
the  better  to  penetrate  the  wood.  The  applica¬ 
tion  of  stain,  as  a  rule,  is  accomplished  by  the  use  of 
brushes,  preferably  rubber  set  brushes.  The  brush  is  to 
be  filled  well  with  stain  material  and  the  actual  staining 
accomplished  with  full,  strong  strokes  of  the  brush. 
This  because  of  the  fact  that  a  comparatively  dry  brush 
will  tend  to  streak  the  work.  This  is  particularly  true 
where  large  surfaces  are  stained. 

Where  the  wood  presents  open  pores  and  large 
pores,  a  stiffer  brush  should  be  employed.  It  may  be 
necessary  after  the  first  stain  is  applied  to  use  one  of 
these  coarse,  heavy  brushes  to  rub  the  stain  well  into 
the  wood,  for  often  these  coarse  pored  woods  will  not 
take  the  stain  as  well  as  one  would  naturally  expect. 
The  pores  are  filled  with  air  cells  which  must  be  broken 
before  the  stain  can  penetrate,  and  unless  this  be  cared 
for  the  result  will  not  show  the  uniformity  that  it 
should.  It  always  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  staining 
is  an  effort  to  make  it  appear  as  though  the  entire 
wood  through  and  through  is  the  color  as  that  being 
applied. 

While  the  vast  majority  of  stains  are  applied  by 
means  of  brushes,  there  are  cases  where  it  is  impossi¬ 
ble  to  do  the  work  with  a  brush.  Stains,  in  which 
strong  alkaline  solutions,  such  as  ammonia,  the  carbon¬ 
ates,  hydroxides  of  soda  or  potash,  are  employed,  or 
strong  acids,  or  strong  oxidizing  chemicals,  such  as 
permanganate  of  potash,  are  better  applied  with  a 
sponge  or  brushes  made  of  vegetable  fibers,  such  as 
tampica,  hemp  and  wood  fibers. 

Whenever  a  stain  curls  the  hair  in  a  brush,  no  mat¬ 
ter  how  trifling,  it  is  better  to  do  away  with  the  means 
of  application  than  to  continue,  for  the  very  good  rea¬ 
son  that  as  the  brush  is  subjected  to  the  stain  it  be- 


STAIN  BEST 
APPLIED  BY 
BRUSHES. 


SPONGE  USED 
WITH  STRONG 
ALKALINES. 


80 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


AVOID  BRUSH 
WITH  HAIR 
CURLING. 


NEUTRAL  OIL 
PRESERVATIVE 
FOR  BRUSHES. 


comes  less  efficient,  and  the  results  will  be  manifested 
in  an  uneven  appearance  of  the  stain  coat ;  once  stained 
it  will  be  difficult  to  make  an  even  job  of  the  effort.  The 
preparation  of  the  hair  or  bristles  has  more  or  less  to 
do  with  the  lasting  quality  of  the  brush. 

From  their  very  nature  bristles  that  have  not  been 
cured  to  an  excess  will  resist  more  or  less  alkali  and  in 
the  same  manner  they  will  withstand  an  acid.  When 
the  stain  brush  is  cleaned  out,  after  it  has  been  used, 
in  a  very  weak  acid  solution,  and  washed  out  in  plain 
water,  permitted  to  dry,  and  immersed  in  a  penetrating 
petroleum  oil,  use  any  of  the  lighter  paraffine  oils.  The 
market  affords  a  water-white  paraffine  oil  put  out  as 
liquid  vaseline.  This  is  an  ideal  brush  preservative. 

Neutral  oil  which  can  be  obtained  at  25  cents  per 
gallon  will  do  very  well.  After  the  brush  has  been  im¬ 
mersed  in  this  oil  over  night,  it  may  be  taken  out  and 
thoroughly  dried  by  rubbing  on  rags  or  waste  until  it 
no  longer  gives  off  any  fatty  or  oily  substance  on  clean 
paper.  Brushes  treated  in  this  way  will  give  an  im¬ 
mense  amount  of  endurance.  It  would  be  natural  to 
suppose  that  a  brush  prepared  in  this  manner  would 
not  carry  the  amount  of  stain  that  it  did  in  its  original 
state.  This,  however,  is  only  the  case  for  a  few  minutes 
after  it  is  again  employed  in  staining.  But  the  tenacity 
of  the  bristle,  the  resiliency,  is  more  permanent 
throughout  the  day’s  work  than  if  a  brush  is  not  pre¬ 
pared  to  withstand  the  inroads  of  the  chemical  sub¬ 
stances,  the  action  of  which  on  the  animal  fiber  is  not 
withstood  by  some  substance  not  affected  by  the  con¬ 
stituents  of  the  stain.  Stains  which  are  slightly  alkaline 
or  acid  may  be  applied  with  bristle  brushes.  The  fore¬ 
going  suggestions  rather  cover  those  with  a  slight  acid 
reaction,  but  the  coal  oils  do  not  answer  readily  to  the 
weaker  alkalies  as  they  do  not  saponify  when  brought 
in  contact  with  alkalies. 

In  cases  where  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  apply 
strong  alkaline  or  strong  acid  stains,  the  hands  may  be 
protected  by  washing  them  in  heavy  oils,  such  as  cylin¬ 
der  oil,  or  better  still,  by  thoroughly  coating  them  with 
vaseline.  Especially  is  this  recommended  for  the  tips 
of  the  fingers,  under  and  around  the  finger  nails,  and 


THE  APPLYING  OF  STAIN  TO  WOOD 


81 


the  back  of  the  hands.  Then  in  applying  the  stain 
with  a  sponge,  the  sponge  should  be  previously  im¬ 
mersed  in  the  stain  solution,  which  is  absolutely  for¬ 
eign  in  nature  to  the  vaseline  on  the  hand,  and  in  con¬ 
sequence  thereof  it  will  spread  the  stain  without  re¬ 
moving  enough  of  the  grease  from  the  operator’s  hands 
to  have  any  effect  on  the  wood. 

The  few  moments  required  to  prepare  the  workman 
for  handling  these  strong  stains  and  the  expense  of 
keeping  at  hand  a  few  pounds  of  vaseline,  which  can 
be  purchased  in  the  open  market,  are  slight.  It  may  be 
well  to  say  that  in  calling  for  vaseline,  which  is  put  out 
by  an  individual  who  has  the  word  “Vaseline”  copy¬ 
righted,  the  purchaser  is  apt  to  be  confronted  with  a 
stiff  price.  The  United  States  government  has  recog¬ 
nized  this  product  under  the  name  of  “Petrolatum,”  and 
as  such  it  is  supplied  by  any  of  the  petroleum  companies 
at  lower  figures.  It  may  not  be  as  highly  refined,  but 
its  efficiency  is  nevertheless  satisfactory.  Incidentally 
the  same  protection  can  be  employed  where  strong  acid 
solutions  are  used  in  staining. 

These  precautionary  measures  are  well  to  consider, 
as  the  trend  of  times  is  manifestly  toward  chemical 
stains.  The  dominating  shades  employed  in  wood  fin¬ 
ishing  have  been  brown  and  at  the  present  time  they 
are  brown,  but  occasionally  have  verged  on  black.  A 
peculiar  fact  is  that  the  two  shades,  exclusive  of  the 
reds,  are  dependent  upon  the  chemical  reaction  which 
the  latter-day  chemist  has  found  for  the  finisher.  Class¬ 
ing  them  as  a  whole  with  their  modifications  and  their 
extremes,  every  one  of  them  can  be  produced  by  the 
use  of  chemicals. 

Granting,  then,  that  sooner  or  later  such  stains  will 
be  preferred,  it  is  well  to  know  how  to  handle  them 
advantageously.  Two  strong  factors  confront  this 
method  of  coloring  woods :  One,  which  is  ever  present 
in  human  endeavor,  is  the  results  obtained  through  the 
minimum  cost ;  namely,  the  putting  of  a  certain  amount 
of  aniline  dye  in  a  given  amount  of  water,  and  spread¬ 
ing  it  on  the  wood  producing  a  color  the  quickest  and 
cheapest  way,  just  good  enough  to  sell.  The  other,  from 
the  fact  that  the  industry  is  yet  a  rule-o’-thumb  propo- 


PROTECT  THE 
HANDS  BY  OIL 
OR  VASELINE. 


DOMINATING 
COLOR  STAINS 
ARE  BROWN. 


82 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


FUMING  NOW 
CONSIDERED 
AN  ESSENTIAL. 


sition  when  it  comes  into  the  finishing  department. 

No  reader  will  admit  that  a  brown  color  spread 
on  wood  will  give  the  same  shade  as  that  produced  by 
the  lengthy,  more  expensive  method  of  actual  fuming. 
There  is  something  superficial  about  the  one ;  no  matter 
how  much  after-fixing  may  have  been  done,  it  does 
not  produce  that  wholesome  appearance  that  the  fum¬ 
ing  brings  forth.  It  has  not  been  so  long  since  a  fuming 
box  was  considered  an  expensive  luxury,  but  today  very 
few  concerns  that  rank  as  producers  of  high  grade  fur¬ 
niture  are  without  their  fuming  box.  The  fuming 
process  not  only  produces  fumed  oak,  it  produces  what 
is  known  as  “English  Fumed  Oak,”  “Stratford  Oak,” 
and  may  be  used  as  a  basis  for  many  of  the  other  oaks, 
were  it  only  true  that  the  subsequent  application  of 
chemicals  and  the  great  possibilities  were  realized  and 
understood  by  the  artisan  of  today. 

Granting  then  that  the  fuming  box  has  been  recog¬ 
nized  as  a  valuable  adjunct,  that  the  aniline  dyes  have 
made  a  vast  stride  over  the  obsolete  methods  of  juices, 
extracts,  or  vegetable  plants,  we  will  soon  enter  the  era 
of  chemical  staining.  This  in  no  way  means  that  ani¬ 
lines  are  to  be  superseded,  for  they  are  chemicals,  com¬ 
plex  chemicals,  which  unfortunately  are  not  thoroughly 
understood.  The  writer  claims  that  each  day  we  are 
gaining  ground  in  the  matter  of  understanding  better 
the  chemical  peculiarities  of  these  delicate  color-giving 
chemicals.  The  desire  to  make  something  better,  to  be 
a  leader,  is  a  road  fraught  with  countless  difficulties. 
Few  venture  away  from  conventional  methods. 

Innovations  in  procedure  are  not  countenanced 
by  many  heads  of  industries.  They  fear  disaster  from 
experiments.  Enterprise,  originality,  personal  initia¬ 
tive  by  the  man  at  the  head  of  a  finishing  department, 
are  given  little  or  no  financial  support.  It  is  a  case  of 
get  out  the  work,  and  never  mind  experiments,  and 
thus  many  an  idea  is  lost.  The  man  feels  that  he  has 
given  all  that  is  asked  of  him  when  the  daily  routine 
is  carried  out. 

Again,  new  methods  are  not  taken  to  kindly.  The 
usual  reply  is,  “Our  goods  are  selling;  why  should  we 
change?”  But  there  comes  a  time  when  an  individual 


THE  APPLYING  OF  STAIN  TO  WOOD 


83 


drifts  away  from  the  rut,  and  does  start  something.  A 
few  people  put  in  fuming  boxes ;  competition  has  made 
it  necessary  for  many  others,  who  wish  to  equal  the 
standard,  to  do  likewise,  and  so  it  will  be  in  the  process 
of  staining.  Better  furniture  will  find  a  market.  At¬ 
tention  to  little  details  will  find  appreciation,  and  when 
competition  finally  recognizes  the  value  of  detail  there 
will  be  a  scramble  in  the  effort  to  meet  the  competition, 
and  thus  will  be  recorded  one  more  stride  In  the  better¬ 
ment  and  advancement  in  the  method  of  producing 
good  furniture. 

In  preparing  a  classification  of  stains  for  the  reader 
it  will  become  necessary  to  generalize  and  to  group  such 
that  depend  upon  kindred  mixtures  for  results.  For 
example,  many  stains  come  under  the  brown  shades, 
whether  on  oak  or  mahogany ;  yet  fumed  oak  will  stand 
out  by  itself.  The  mahogany  and  the  cherry  stains  will 
constitute  another  class  with  the  distinction  that  those 
applied  to  mahogany  are  differently  constituted  than 
those  which  are  applied  on  cherry ;  whereas  their  color 
material  may  be  very  similar.  In  bringing  out  classi¬ 
fications  of  this  kind  it  is  with  the  view  of  giving  a  com¬ 
prehensive  survey  of  all  stains  that  are  now  in  general 
use.  We  believe  that  a  thorough  understanding  of 
the  basis  of  the  present  day  staining  will  bring  the 
reader  up-to-date,  and  upon  which  knowledge  it  will 
be  possible  to  build  a  future  along  the  line  of  the 
more  advanced  theory  of  producing  absolutely  per¬ 
manent,  but  transparent,  colors  on  our  cabinet  woods. 

In  order  to  do  this,  we  must  dismiss  some  of  the 
older  methods  of  producing  colors  on  wood,  claiming 
that  a  stain  implies  the  act  of  giving  a  color  to  the 
wood  absolutely  transparent,  and  not  in  any  way  pro¬ 
ducing  a  color  by  spreading  over  the  surface  of  the 
wood  a  solid  particle,  no  matter  how  finely  divided  a 
state  it  may  be  in.  That,  in  our  mind,  would  be  and 
should  be  classified  as  paint.  There  are  books  written 
on  finishing,  and  articles  appearing  in  periodicals,  in 
which  formulas  and  methods  are  given  for  producing 
some  of  our  popular  colors  by  means  of  paint  pigments. 
These  are  mixed  with  oils  and  spread  over  the  wood, 
producing  a  shade  not  unlike  that  of  a  stained  piece  of 


BETTER  STAIN¬ 
ING  METHOD 
COMING. 


GROUPS  OF 
STAINS. 


84 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


SHUN  STAIN 
MADE  OF 
PAINT  PIGMENT. 


FOUR  CLASSES 
OF  STAINS. 


wood,  but  they  are  not  transparent,  and  as  before  said,, 
should  not  be  regarded  as  a  stain. 

In  the  painter’s  trade  it  would  be  a  different  propo¬ 
sition;  many  old  houses  in  perfect  condition  are 
planned  to  be  finished  in  harmony  with  the  general 
color  scheme  of  the  day.  In  cases  of  this  kind,  the 
ground  work  constitutes  the  first  coat,  and  the  imita¬ 
tion  is  accomplished  by  graining.  Therefore,  we  do 
not  disparage  entirely  the  old  methods  in  case  of  neces¬ 
sity  or  where  materials  are  not  obtainable ;  but  in  pro¬ 
duction  of  furniture  from  the  raw  wood  we  advocate 
the  application  of  the  modern  method  of  staining, 
meaning  the  production  of  a  transparent  color  that 
gives  to  the  wood  the  color  preserving  the  natural 
beauty  and  still  having  the  appearance  of  being  na¬ 
ture’s  product. 

Broadly  speaking,  the  four  classifications  will  cover 
all  the  stains  now  employed  in  the  industry:  Black, 
Jbrown,  red  and  green,  and  probably  in  the  order  named. 
In  their  varying  shades,  down  to  grays,  they  are  pro¬ 
duced  along  similar  lines,  and  the  same  of  the  browns 
(except  in  the  case  of  fuming),  the  reds  and  the 
greens.  All  have  a  similarity.  The  final  result,  how¬ 
ever,  in  many  cases,  is  affected  very  much  by  the  filler 
employed.  Let  it  be  borne  in  mind  that  not  too  much 
dependence  should  be  placed  in  the  filler  assisting  in 
the  production  of  the  desired  effect.  Time  has  shown 
that  in  the  ages  and  the  mellowing  of  the  shade,  which 
only  years  can  produce,  if  too  much  of  the  finish  de¬ 
pends  upon  the  filler,  the  original  appearance  is  not 
maintained,  and  a  decided  difference  is  shown  between 
the  flake  and  the  pores.  This  is  not  desirable,  and  es¬ 


pecially  is  it  manifested  where  oil  ktains  hAVe  been  em¬ 
ployed. 

It  is  not  our  province  to  enter  into  the  'various  con- 
stituencie's  or  peculiarities  of  the  materials  employed 
in  the  modern  methods  of  staining.  This  field  would  be 
so  vast  that  an  undertaking^  this  kind  would  mean  a 
book  of  technical  knowledge  Which  could  be  compre- 
hended^bnly  by  those  having  been  pHe$ared  in  chem¬ 
istry  and  other  scientific  fields.  Suffide  it  then  to  say 
that  it  be  takeh  for  grafted  fee  reader  shall  follow  the 


THE  APPLYING  OF  STAIN  TO  WOOD 


85 


suggestions  and  familiarize  himself  with  this  informa¬ 
tion  sufficiently  to  be  able,  from  his  experiments,  to 
become  acquainted  with  the  reaction  and  the  results 
obtained  by  the  recommended  color-giving  substances ; 
thus  verifying  in  his  own  mind  the  correctness  of  these 
statements  by  producing  on  his  own  premises  the  re¬ 
sults  here  stated. 

A  complete  tabulation  is  not  necessary  to  carry  out 
our  viewpoint.  Let  the  modern  shades  of  Early  Eng¬ 
lish,  Antwerp,  Flemish,  weathered  oak  and  the  grays 
represent  that  part  which  we  classify  as  black.  They 
are  usually  produced,  in  the  cases  of  Early  English  and 
Antwerp,  by  a  black  stain,  modified  with  an  orange,  red 
or  yellow,  but  filled  with  a  black  filler,  whereas  Belgian 
and  Flemish  are  on  the  black  and  should  be  modified 
with  sufficient  red  to  give  a  faint  brownish  tint,  but  are 
not  to  be  filled. 

The  production  then  of  the  key  color  is  black.  At 
present  black  nigrosine  is  the  most  popular,  and  can 
be  recommended  because  one  coat  suffices  to  produce 
the  shade  wanted.  But  in  olden  times  this  color  was 
produced  from  nutgalls,  today  represented  by  tannic 
acid  and  iron,  or  any  salt  of  iron. 

Before  the  day  of  varnish,  when  repeated  coats  of 
oil  were  used,  a  depth  of  color  was  obtained  which  gave 
it  that  wholesome  effect,  the  appearance  as  though  the 
wood  were  of  that  color  through  and  through.  The 
reason  is  simple ;  nutgalls  or  tannic  acid  was  not  a  for¬ 
eign  product,  in  fact,  it  was  partly  present  in  the 
wood.  The  iron  solution  being  watery,  penetrated  the 
wood  to  a  greater  excess  than  will  any  single  coat  of 
stain,  carrying  with  it  a  foreign  product.  It  is  a  pe¬ 
culiar  fact  that  any  stain  if  made  of  chemicals  has  a 
greater  penetrating  power  than  one  made  up  of  ani¬ 
lines  exclusively.  Then,  too,  if  this  chemical  solution  is 
heated  or  applied  warm,  it  will  penetrate  farther.  If 
it  is  something  that  has  an  affinity  for  particles  form¬ 
ing  parts  of  the  constituents  of  the  wood,  it  penetrates 
still  farther.  This  is  shown  in  the  example  just  given. 
Again,  the  depth  of  color  was  greatly  enhanced  from 
the  fact  that  warm  oils  were  applied  and  rubbed  into 
the  wood.  The  oil  having  the  effect  of  driving  the  chem- 


BLACK 

NIGROSINE  THE 
KEY  COLOR. 


THE  OLD  WAY 
OF  FINISHING. 


86 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


VALUABLE 

PROCEDURE. 


ical  action  before  it  and  still  deeper  into  the  wood. 

If  the  manufacturers  of  today  would  only  consider 
the  beautiful  effects  that  could  be  produced  by  using 
the  foregoing  method,  and  then  fume  the  wood,  sim¬ 
ply  finishing  by  repeated  coats  of  warm  raw  linseed  oil, 
and  doing  considerable  rubbing,  there  would  be  a  new 
market,  and,  we  claim,  sufficient  support  to  the  concern 
showing  the  enterprise  to  take  advantage  of  the  sug¬ 
gestion.  But  today  it  is  hurry  and  hurry;  “get  the 
goods  out.” 

The  grays  referred  to  have  a  weak  and  greatly  mod¬ 
ified  process.  They  simply  follow  in  the  wake  of  black, 
but  with  one  distinction — on  many  of  them  an  abso- 
ultely  white  filler  is  used. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


SPREADING  STAIN  ON  LARGE  SURFACES. 


THE  staining  of  large  surfaces  requires  much  more 
skill  than  on  the  smaller  broken  parts,  and  even¬ 
ness  is  required.  No  matter  what  the  cabinet 
conditions  are,  the  finishing  is  supposed  to  overcome 
these.  Woods  presenting  sap  streaks,  knotty  and 
fibrous  parts  are  all  to  be  stained,  with  the  result  of  a 
general  uniformity  of  color.  If  the  stain  was  applied 
alike  on  all  parts,  the  end  wood  or  cross  cutting,  as 
well  as  the  sap  part,  would  take  on  a  much  darker 
color,  owing  to  the  different  density  and  different 
porous  conditions  that  exist  in  these  portions  of  the 
wood. 

In  resinous  woods,  the  knotty  portions  as  a  rule  do 
not  answer  to  the  stain  application  and  even  though 
prepared  for  staining,  they  manifest  difficulties  that 
must  be  overcome  if  there  is  anything  like  a  general 
uniform  appearance  to  be  obtained.  In  quarter  sawed 
oaks,  and  their  veneers,  the  greatest  difficulty  is  with 
the  sap.  In  general  cabinet  work,  the  difficulty  is 
chiefly  in  the  laying  of  the  woods,  and  their  selection, 
such  as  laying  of  white  and  red  oak,  side  by  side, 
second  growth  and  red  oak,  poorly  selected  figures; 
laying  the  wood  “up-tree”  against  “down  tree”,  so  that 
when  you  look  at  a  table  top  on  one  board  you  are 
looking  into  the  pores,  and  on  the  next  one,  you  are 
looking  over  the  pores.  If  the  finisher  matches  it  look¬ 
ing  one  way,  when  he  turns  the  table  around,  he  will 
find  that  it  does  not  match  at  all.  This  is  probably  the 
greatest  difficulty  that  is  encountered  in  the  staining  of 
woods.  Many  an  altercation  has  arisen  between  the 
finishing  department  and  the  glue  room  where  this  sort 
of  wood  joining  is  performed. 

In  order  to  overcome  the  difficulties  thus  enumer¬ 
ated,  let  us  go  back  to  the  most  common  of  all  difficulties 
that  the  stainer  encounters— sap  streaks.  Now  that 
woods  are  becoming  rarer  the  raw  material  is  cut  up 


FINISH  MUST 
OVERCOME  ALL 
CABINET 
CONDITIONS. 


CHIEF  DIFFI¬ 
CULTY  LIES 
IN  LAYING 
OF  WOOD. 


88 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


METHODS  OF 
EVENING  UP 
COAT  STAIN. 


closer,  and  the  appearance  of  this  unripened  portion 
of  the  wood  has  to  be  dealt  with :  First,  for  the  reason 
that  the  raw  stock  costs  more  money;  and  secondly, 
because  a  good  deal  of  monoy  has  been  put  into  the 
work  before  it  reaches  the  finisher. 

The  following  methods  are  recommended,  and  have 
been  found  from  experience  to  be  about  all  that  can  be 
done  to  even  up  the  stain  coat: 

In  water  stains,  if,  just  before  the  stain  is  to  be 
applied,  the  sap  portion  is  gone  over  with  a  moist 
sponge  so  that  the  pores  of  the  wood  are  partially  filled 
with  plain  water,  then  the  regular  coat  of  stain  in  most 
cases  can  be  applied.  In  woods  that  arc  very  porous, 
and  which  take  the  stain  more  readily  in  consequence, 
it  may  be  necessary  to  dilute  the  regular  stain  with 
water.  A  good  deal  of  this  may  be  controlled  by  the 
amount  of  moisture  applied  with  the  sponge.  Only 
experience  can  get  this  down  to  a  nicety. 

,  In  cases  where  oil  stains  are  to  be  applied,  the  same 
process  is  gone  through,  but  in  place  of  water  a  coat 
of  naphtha  or  turpentine,  or  a  mixture  of  the  two,  and 
in  extreme  cases  the  addition  of  a  little  japan  drier, 
will  do  the  trick. 

In  case  of  spirit  stains,  it  would  be  simpler  to  dilute 
the  stain,  yet  the  above  method  may  be  applied,  but 
instead  of  using  alcohol  or  spirits  solely,  about  50  per 
cent  of  water  may  be  added  to  the  alcohol. 

Another  method  which  could  be  recommended,  and 
which  is  used  a  good  deal  in  the  larger  factories,  is  as 
follows;  A  thin  glue  is  prepared,  and  one  man  who  is 
particularly  adapted  for  detail  work,  is  given  the  task 
to  go  over  all  the  sap  parts  with  this  thin  warm  glue, 
which  is  permitted  to  dry  before  the  piece  reaches  the 
regular  stainer.  This  man  must  know  his  work  thor¬ 
oughly,  for  should  he  put  on  too  heavy  a  coat  he  would 
create  an  impervious  surface  over  which  the  water 
stain  would  spread  and  congeal  in  uneven  surfaces 
before  it  would  penetrate  the  wood. 

On  knotty  surfaces,  which  as  a  rule  take  dark,  and 
which  ofttimes  present  an  end  grain,  the  problem  as  a 
rule  is  handled  in  an  individual  manner.  If  the  knot 
is  “dead”  and  free  from  resinous  matter,  the  glue-size 


SPREADING  OF  STAIN  ON  LARGE  SURFACES 


89 


is  probably  preferable,  but  where  it  presents  a  resinous 
surface,  and  no  water  stain  would  be  apt  to  take,  it 
should  be  sponged  with  several  coats  of  a  one-half  to 
one  per  cent  potash  solution,  then  thoroughly  sponged 
off  with  clear  water.  If  still  further  treatment  is 
required,  it  can  be  given  several  coats  of  alcohol.  As  a 
rule  it  will  then  answer  to  the  stain. 

In  cases  of  veneer,  such  as  crotch  mahogany,  there 
is  considerable  danger,  by  any  of  these  methods,  of 
lifting  the  end  grain  and  causing  it  to  check.  The  end 
grain  permits  the  water  stain  to  penetrate  down  to  the 
glue  coat,  and  in  this  manner  the  veneer,  which  is 
naturally  weak,  will  raise  away  from  its  backing  and 
become  checked.  It  is  a  rather  difficult  proposition  to 
overcome,  and  have  good  results  without  blemishes. 
In  the  treating  of  this  crotch  veneer  use  a  filler  made  of 
gum  shellac  and  glue,  which  is  melted  on  a  water  bath, 
and  then  thinned  with  a  mixture  of  oil  (boiled  linseed) 
and  turpentine,  to  which  enough  color  material  is  added 
to  give  it  the  right  one.  This  is  usually  an  oil  soluble, 
red  and  brown.  This  filler  penetrates  the  pores,  or 
rather  the  end  grain,  and  goes  through  to  the  glue  coat 
with  which  it  combines,  holding  fast  the  crotch  veneer. 
After  this  is  thoroughly  dried  it  is  sponged  off  with 
alcohol  which  removes  the  filler  from  the  outer  fibers 
of  the  wood,  and  leaves  the  outer  surface  in  a  condition 
in  which  it  will  receive  the  stain  coat.  After  this  pre¬ 
cautionary  preparation,  it  only  remains  for  the  stainer 
to  ascertain  the  strength  of  the  stain  coat  which  is  to 
be  applied. 

Undoubtedly,  the  reader  will  ask  why  not  use  an 
oil  stain,  or  a  spirit  stain,  on  this  crotch  work.  More 
difficulties  arise  from  the  oil  stain  than  are  conceded, 
for  the  solvents  used  in  the  preparation  of  oil  stains 
are  so  foreign  in  their  make-up  to  the  general  constitu¬ 
ency  of  the  glue,  and  they  have  the  peculiar,  “pucker¬ 
ing  effect”  on  the  crotch  wood,  that  checking  is  bound 
to  occur.  Spirit  stain,  as  a  rule,  is  not  fast  to  light, 
and  again  there  would  be  the  difficulties  of  the  match¬ 
ing  of  either  the  oil  stain  or  spirit  stain  with  that 
of  the  water  stain,  and  of  getting  an  oil  stain  or  a  spirit 
stain  that  has  the  same  permanency  of  color  that  the 


DANGERS  OF 
LIFTING  END 
GRAIN  ON 
VENEERS. 


SOME  MEANS  OF 
CORRECTIONS. 


90 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


SHORTCOMINGS 
OF  CABINET 
WORK  FIXED 
UP  BY 
FINISHER. 


water  stain  would  have.  The  tendency  would  be  that 
the  crotch  work,  so  treated,  would  stand  out  in  relief 
from  the  rest  of  the  work  instead  of  forming  the  pleas¬ 
ing  homogeneous,  uniform  gradation  of  shades,  which 
is  so  carefully  sought. 

It  must  be  understood  that  these  special  operations 
are  intended  to  be  employed  in  the  production  of  good 
furniture.  In  the  cheaper  grades  this  detail  work  to  a 
certain  degree  is  prohibitive,  owing  to  the  fact  that  it 
consumes  time,  and  time  is  money.  I  often  question 
whether  the  expense  of  one  man  to  look  after  and  cor¬ 
rect  these  deficiencies  in  the  wood  would  not  be  recom¬ 
pensed  by  an  equivalent  decrease  in  the  selling  expense. 
It  is  a  fact  that  many  shortcomings  in  cabinet  construc¬ 
tion  design  are  overshadowed  by  a  good  foreman  fin¬ 
isher  who  produces  a  pleasing  uniformity  that  covers 
it  all,  the  same  as  a  good  overcoat  and  hat  will  do  for 
a  man. 

In  cases  where  dipping  is  employed,  the  sap  parts 
will  come  out  strong  unless  some  precaution  is  taken. 
It  has  been  found  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  over¬ 
come  the  differentiation  of  color  when  stained  by  the 
dipping  process,  and  we  have  yet  to  find  methods  other 
than  those  described  that  will  help  us,  unless  it  be  the 
employment  of  the  spraying  machine,  when  each  indi¬ 
vidual  piece  must  be  handled  and  looked  over  just 
the  same. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


THE  PENETRATION  OF  WOOD  STAINS. 

AFTER  the  application  of  a  water  stain,  there  will 
be  more  or  less  raising  of  the  grain,  which  will 
necessitate  the  subsequent  sanding  usually  done 
with  No.  00  sandpaper.  This  is  not  the  case,  how¬ 
ever,  where  spirit  or  oil  stains  are  employed.  The 
smoothing  of  the  water  stain  surfaces  cannot  be  done 
by  inexperienced  help,  as  they  are  liable  to  cut  through 
the  stain  surface.  The  application  of  a  stain  carries 
with  it  a  certain  amount  of  practice.  It  must  be  spread 
evenly,  so  that  there  will  be  no  laps  in  the  coat,  and 
must  be  put  on  heavy  enough  to  penetrate  the  wood. 
On  the  close  fibred  woods,  where  it  is  a  difficult  matter 
to  have  the  stain  penetrate,  it  is  better  to  give  two  coats 
of  stain  to  produce  the  desired  depth  of  color,  than  to 
attempt  to  do  it  with  one  coat.  With  two  coats  of  stain, 
usually  the  one  sanding  is  sufficient.  In  light  shades, 
it  is  especially  recommended  that  in  order  to  get  pene¬ 
tration,  the  stain  be  applied  warm.  In  woods  that  are 
resinous,  the  sponging  with  an  alkali  is  to  be  recom¬ 
mended,  but  to  avoid  the  discoloring  of  the  wood  by 
the  use  of  an  alkali,  an  ounce  of  ordinary  washing  soap 
should  be  added  to  the  alkaline  solution,  four  ounces  of 
sal  soda  to  a  gallon  of  water.  Sponge  the  wood  with 
this  mixture,  allow  it  to  dry,  and  then  sponge  off  with 
warm  water.  After  this  operation,  the  wood  is  suscept¬ 
ible  to  the  ordinary  water  stain. 

It  is  a  peculiar  fact  that  when  wood  is  kept  in  a 
warm  place,  say  90  degrees  F.,  water  stain  will  pene¬ 
trate  it  better  than  at  reduced  temperatures. 

Without  entering  into  the  details  or  classification 
of  water  stains,  such  as  acid,  alkaline,  or  neutral  stains, 
being  the  several  mixtures  of  color  materials  in  water, 
the  foregoing  procedures  are  general.  It  stands  to 
reason  that  on  a  porous  softwood  surface,  any  liquid 
that  is  applied  will  penetrate  quicker,  and  in  cases  of 
this  kind,  the  application  of  the  stain  must  be  done 


GETTING  READY 
FOR  STAINING 
PROCESS. 


92 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


HOW  TO  APPLY 
STAIN  ON 
WOOD. 


KEEP  ALCOHOL 
STAINS  FROM 
THE  LIGHT. 


without  stopping.  The  strokes  must  be  carried  out 
thoroughly  to  prevent  piling  up  of  color  material  at  the 
end  of  stroke  or  at  the  beginning.  The  movements 
must  be  decisive,  the  brush  must  carry  the  stain  freely, 
but  not  overloaded ;  that  is  to  say,  the  brush  must  carry 
just  sufficient  stain  to  fill  it  so  that  the  natural  cohesion 
will  not  permit  the  stain  to  run  out  of  the  brush.  In 
that  way,  the  setting  of  the  brush  onto  the  work  will 
not  blot  the  work  where  the  brush  is  first  applied. 

The  exceptions  to  this  rule  are  cases  where  the  color 
is  produced  by  virtually  flooding  the  work.  In  a  case 
of  this  kind  it  would  be  better  to  dip  the  entire  piece 
or  its  sections,  and  thus  avoid  the  danger  to  the  glue 
joints  and  veneers.  Where  alcohol  or  oil  stains  are 
applied  the  same  precautions  on  soft  woods  are  to  be 
followed.  Alcohol  stains  penetrate  quickly ;  fortunately 
they  are  not  generally  used,  but  they  as  well  as  oil 
stains  are  usually  quick  of  penetration,  and  their  appli¬ 
cation  should  be  guarded  the  same  as  water  stains  on 
soft  woods.  No  provision  is  necessary  to  prepare  the 
wood  for  the  application,  other  than  the  dusting  which, 
of  course,  it  is  understood  should  always  be  done  before 
any  stain  is  applied. 

Alcohol  stains  should  be  kept  from  the  light  as  much 
as  possible,  and  after  they  have  been  applied  the  furni¬ 
ture  should  be  kept  in  dark,  well  ventilated  places  to 
avoid  fading  which  is  apt  to  take  place  on  these  stains 
when  subjected  to  strong  daylight,  especially  sunlight. 
Their  permanency  depends  entirely  upon  being  pro¬ 
tected  from  the  air  by  an  impervious  coat  of  shellac. 
This  applies  to  oil  stains  as  well.  Alcohol  and  oil  stains 
should  not  be  sanded  after  they  have  been  applied.  It 
is  considered  they  will  not  raise  the  grain,  and  these 
are  the  strong  talking  points  that  the  makers  of  these 
stains  put  forth  to  sell  them :  Easy  to  apply,  no  sand¬ 
ing  necessary,  and  consequently  a  great  saving  of  labor. 
Great  care  must  be  exercised  in  the  application  of  the 
shellac  coat  not  to  lift  the  stain,  and  spread  io  about  in 
the  shellac  coat,  as  both  color  materials  could  again  be 
dissolved  in  the  alcohol  which  is  spreading  the  shellac. 

Every  species  of  wood  has  a  texture  peculiar  to 
itself.  Each  is  recognized  by  its  own  characteristics. 


93 


THE  PENETRATION  OF  WOOD  STAINS 


To  retain  these  is  just  as  essential  as  it  is  to  color  them, 

■  and  if  in  the  staining  of  this  wood  the  beauty  can  be 
enhanced  and  the  figures  made  to  stand  out,  then  one 
has  accomplished  an  important  thing.  It  is  certainly 
that  which  constitutes  a  good  stain.  A  stain  coat  that 
will  obliterate  any  beauty  of  the  wood,  which  is  appar¬ 
ent  before  any  finish  is  put  on,  cannot  be  called  a  good 
stain.  To  simply  color  a  piece  of  wood,  to  change  it 
from  one  color  to  another,  is  not  what  should  be  called 
staining  in  good  furniture.  That  should  be  classed 
as  painting. 

The  workman  must  know  what  kind  of  a  stain  will 
bring  out  the  peculiarities  of  the  wood,  he  should  know 
how  to  take  advantage  of  the  fibers,  flakes,  and  pores 
by  a  treatment  with  a  stain  of  such  reaction  that  will 
enhance  and  bring  out  the  sought-f or  characteristics. 
Take  oak,  with  its  simple  application  of  a  golden  oak 
stain.  Note  how  the  center  of  the  flake  remains  one 
color,  surrounded  by  a  circle  of  a  darker  shade  with  a 
corresponding  depth  of  brown  in  its  pores.  These  same 
characteristics  are  found  in  almost  every  wood.  It  is 
true,  oak  is  the  best  example.  To  maintain  the  charac¬ 
teristics  of  a  wood,  the  stain  material  must  be  abso¬ 
lutely  soluble  in  the  vehicle  employed.  There  can  be 
no  precipitation,  or  no  suspension  of  color-giving 
particles  in  the  stain.  If,  by  standing,  a  stain  produces 
precipitates,  then  it  should  be  allowed  to  stand  until 
every  particle  has  settled  to  the  bottom,  and  the  clear 
liquid  drawn  off.  Many  times  the  solubility  of  a  color 
is  not  understood,  or  it  is  affected  by  other  color 
materials  employed.  The  raising  of  the  temperature  a 
few  degrees  may  overcome  this,  and  as  long  as  the 
temperature  is  maintained,  all  the  material  of  color 
value  may  be  held  in  solution,  but  the  grave  danger  is 
that  the  workman  will  permit  the  temperature  to  fall, 
and  before  it  is  noticed,  muddy  results  have  been  pro¬ 
duced.  Again,  a  stain  may  be  produced  in  the  summer 
months,  and  this  difficulty  manifested  only  in  the 
winter  months.  During  the  day,  when  the  steam  is  on, 
and  the  building  heated  to  72  degrees,  the  stain  may 
appear  absolutely  clear,  but  the  night  may  have  chilled 
it,  and  then  a  complaint  is  made,  ofttimes,  when  it  is 


STAINING  IS 
NOT  MERELY 
COLORING. 


SOLUBILITY 
OF  COLORS 
MUST  BE 
KNOWN. 


94 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


too  late,  that  the  shade  is  falling  off.  Again,  part  of 
that  day’s  work  may  be  done  from  the  first  dippings 
from  the  vat  or  stock  solution,  and  later  on  the  stain 
may  be  drawn  from  that  portion  which  contains  the 
precipitate,  and  naturally,  the  results  are  not  uniform. 

A  good  stain  must  remain  absolutely  clear  at  a 
variance  of  temperature  down  to  40  degrees  F.  It  is 
not  necessary  to  provide  against  freezing,  as  in  the 
majority  of  cases,  any  stain  that  will  stay  in  solution  at 
40  degrees  will  have  sufficient  amount  of  percentage 
solubility  in  its  favor  to  preclude  any  precipitation.  To 
make  this  absolutely  clear,  let  us  take  the  following 
example :  Suppose  we  can  dissolve  a  cupful  of  salt  into 
a  pint  of  water,  and  get  a  clear  solution  at  60  degrees  F. 
good  stain  We  find  by  boiling  this  solution,  we  can  add  two  table- 
must  be  clear  spoons  of  salt,  and  still  have  a  clear  solution.  We  have 
at  40  deg.  f.  rajse(j  the  temperature  to  212  in  order  to  maintain  the 
clear  solution.  We  know  that  at  the  60  degrees  it  was 
'  possible  to  dissolve  but  one  cupful. 

Now  we  will  take  the  boiling  hot  solution  and  let  the 
temperature  fall  to  60  degrees  and  we  will  find  that  not 
only  has  our  cupful  of  salt  crystallized  out  but  almost 
another  tablespoonful  has  been  added  thereto,  showing 
us  clearly  that  when  a  liquid  is  supersaturated  by  the 
increase  of  temperature,  we  endanger  the  natural 
amount  of  solid  that  can  be  dissolved  at  the  normal 
temperature  of  60  degrees.  This  is  the  phenomena  of 
crystallization.  In  short,  when  a  liquid  is  supersatur¬ 
ated,  and  precipitation  once  starts,  the  remaining  solid 
held  in  solution  is  reduced  far  below  the  normal  carry¬ 
ing  power  of  that  liquid. 

The  reader  will  say  to  himself  that  many  of  his 
formulas  are  given  him  with  directions  to  boil  the  color 
material.  This  is  done,  usually,  for  the  following 
reason :  Certain  color  materials  made  from  an  earthy 
or  vegetable  basis — earths  that  are  treated  with  chemi¬ 
cals  and  then  allowed  to  crystallize — give  their  color 
values  to  solutions  in  certain  percentages  in  direct  ratio 
to  their  component  parts. 

Take  for  example,  walnut  brown.  About  80  per 
cent  of  this  material  is  of  color  value,  the  balance  being 
inert  matter  of  a  brownish  insoluble  nature,  but  so 


THE  PENETRATION  OF  WOOD  STAINS 


95 


finely  divided  that  to  a  certain  degree  it  can  be  carried 
in  suspension,  but  this  percentage  is  dangerous  to  stain. 
Therefore  the  formula  is  built  upon  the  known  per¬ 
centage  that  it  will  give  off  to  the  water  when  it  is 
boiled,  and  will  remain  steadfast  after  it  is  allowed  to 
cool  down  to  a  temperature  of  60  degrees,  at  which 
time  it  will  remain  permanent.  The  insoluble  portion 
will  slowly  settle  to  the  bottom  of  the  vessel,  and  the 
clear  liquid  then  can  be  drawn  off  with  absolute  assur¬ 
ance  that  it  will  stay  clear,  and  no  further  precipitation 
will  take  place.  It  must  not  be  construed  that  this 
liquid  is  of  necessity  a  saturated  solution.  It  merely 
represents  that  percentage  of  permanent  color  taken 
from  the  original  amount  of  walnut  brown. 

Particularly  is  this  of  interest  just  now  when  much 
of  our  furniture  is  made  of  Circassian,  gum  and 
American  walnut.  For  if  we  do  not  take  care  in  doing 
away  with  the  insoluble  portion  of  this  walnut  brown 
stain,  the  work  is  apt  to  become  streaked,  spotted  and 
cloudy  from  the  presence  of  these  insoluble  particles. 
It  might  be  well  for  the  artisan  to  try  this  experiment. 
After  making  a  solution  of  walnut  brown  and  pouring 
off  the  clear  liquid,  pour  out  the  insoluble  dregs  of  the 
solution  onto  a  blotting  paper,  cover  it  with  a  box  so 
that  the  wind  will  not  blow  it  away,  and  when  it  is 
thoroughly  dry,  put  it  on  a  clean  piece  of  sanded  wood 
and  rub  it  across  the  surface.  The  results  will  immedi¬ 
ately  show  him  what  this  insoluble  portion  of  this 
staining  material  would  do  to  his  work  if  he  did  not 
remove  it  from  the  stain. 

Many  of  our  color-giving  materials  have  their  solu¬ 
bility  greatly  increased  by  the  addition  of  a  chemical 
or  an  acid,  acidulating  the  solution  and  by  an  excess  of 
a  few  per  cents  of  acid,  assuring  the  continual  solution 
of  a  color-giving  material.  However,  the  chemical  con¬ 
struction  of  stains  is  to  be  treated  under  a  separate 
chapter,  and,  therefore,  we  will  not  enter  into  the 
details  here.  The  foregoing  is  specifically  intended 
for  water  stains. 

Spirit  stains  and  oil  stains  represent  merely  the 
dissolving  of  spirit  soluble  or  so-called  oil  soluble 
materials  in  their  respective  vehicles.  Their  absolute 


INSOLUBLE 
PORTIONS  OF 
STAIN  MUST 
BE  REMOVED. 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


96 


NATURE  OP 
SPIRIT  OIL 
STAINS  IS  A 
SUSPENSION. 


solution  in  many  cases  is  obtained.  But  their  nature  has 
been  described  as  virtually  a  suspension.  Especially 
is  this  due  to  oil  stains,  for  when  the  oil  stain  is  applied, 
the  evaporation  of  their  liquid  is  so  quick  that  the  color 
under  a  microscope  has  the  appearance  of  having  been 
sprayed,  or  blown  upon  the  surface  with  a  powder 
blower.  In  other  words,  the  small  oil  soluble  particles, 
through  a  peculiar  molecular  cohesion,  will  solidify  in 
minute  particles  which  give  a  uniform  color  appear¬ 
ance  to  the  naked  eye.  Yet  owing  to  the  quick  evapora¬ 
tion  of  the  vehicle  do  not  penetrate  the  wood,  but  as  in 
spirit  stain  produce  the  color  by  a  superficial  coating 
of  the  wood. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


KNOWLEDGE  OF  VENEERS  NECESSARY. 

A  KNOWLEDGE  of  veneers  is  a  necessity  to  the 
finisher  working  with  veneered  goods,  because 
the  problems  presented  by  this  class  of  work, 
and  which  demand  a  solution,  are  numerous  and  com¬ 
plex.  Many  veneer  troubles  are  not  discovered  until 
the  goods  are  part  way  through  the  finishing  room,  and 
because  no  one  present  has  the  requisite  knowledge  to 
enable  him  to  trace  this  trouble  to  its  source,  the  MANA  VENEER 
finisher  finds  the  responsibility  placed  at  his  door,  and  1 

is  compelled  to  confront  the  problem  without  any  hope  FINISHEK 
of  finding  a  solution. 

Many  of  the  troubles  which  the  finisher  finds  arising 
from  veneered  work  either  have  their  inception  in  the 
early  stages  of  the  veneering  process  or  are  the  result 
of  an  inherent  weakness  in  the  veneer  itself.  A  great 
amount  of  fine  figured  veneer  is  very  scaly.  The  differ¬ 
ent  layers  of  fiber  have  become  separated  and  overlap 
each  other  loosely  like  the  scales  on  a  fish’s  back.  These 
defects  in  the  veneer  may  be  natural,  but  more  fre¬ 
quently  they  are  the  result  of  improper  handling  during 
the  process  of  cutting.  These  defects  are  difficult  to 
detect  with  the  naked  eye  unless  one  is  familiar  with 
them ;  but  when  one  knows  what  they  are,  they  may  be 
detected  easily  with  the  aid  of  a  magnifying  glass. 

Then  the  proper  thing  to  do  is  to  reject  all  such  veneer 
for  face  work. 

But  veneer  of  this  kind  quite  frequently  finds  its 
way  into  the  finishing  room  and  is  varnished  and  put 
away  to  dry.  In  time  the  goods  are  brought  out  to  be 
rubbed,  when  all  over  the  surface,  running  along  the 
line  of  the  pores,  are  to  be  seen  innumerable-  depres¬ 
sions  of  hair-like  appearance.  If  the  varnish  is  only 
partly  dry  these  depressions  may  rub  out  and  not 
reappear  for  some  time,  but  if  the  varnish  is  thoroughly 
dry  these  depressions  at  once  open  out  in  bold  checks. 

Varnish  which  is  not  thoroughly  hardened  will  expand 


98 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


TROUBLE  WITH 
VARNISH  AND 
VENEER. 


CHECKS  IN 
VENEER  ARE 
SERIOUS. 


considerably  without  checking.  But  after  it  has  lost 
much  of  its  elasticity  it  will  check  along  the  line  of  the 
scale  in  the  veneer.  Everything  follows  the  course  of 
least  resistance.  The  continual  expansion  and  contrac¬ 
tion  of  the  wood,  resulting  from  the  frequent  atmos¬ 
pheric  changes,  make  a  continual  strain  along  the 
weakest  parts  of  the  veneer,  which  is  along  the  line  of 
these  scales  where  the  fiber  is  broken.  This  strain  is 
carried  to  the  varnish  along  the  same  line;  and  when 
the  varnish  becomes  dry  and  no  longer  is  able  to  expand 
in  unison  with  the  wood,  it  breaks  along  the  line  where 
the  strain  has  been  greatest. 

How  is  one  to  know  whether  these  checks  are  in  the 
veneer  or  in  the  varnish  only,  is  a  question  that  should 
be  answered  here.  If  we  scrape  the  varnish  off,  it  is 
quite  possible  the  checks  will  disappear  with  the  var¬ 
nish,  and  nothing  wrong  will  be  seen  in  the  veneer. 
This  is  because  the  raised  edge  of  the  scale  has  been 
"scraped  off  with  the  varnish,  and  the  balance  lies  quite 
flat  and  smooth.  To  the  finisher  who  has  trouble  along 
this  line  I  would  suggest  that  he  get  a  good  magnifying 
glass  and  study  the  difference  in  the  fiber  of  different 
veneers.  In  this  way  one  may  soon  learn  how  to  detect 
defective  veneer.  But  where  the  finish  is  checked  and 
the  cause  is  in  the  veneer  there  is  usually  a  sharp  raise 
on  one  side  of  the  check.  If  we  draw  a  damp  sponge 
over  it,  this  sharp  edge  raises  quickly.  This  never  takes 
place  when  the  finish  only  is  checked. 

Frequently  the  finisher  is  brought  face  to  face  with 
another  and  more  serious  problem  resulting  from 
checked  veneer — serious  because  the  check  is  not  a 
natural  weakness  in  the  veneer,  and  made  doubly 
serious  by  the  further  fact  that  the  veneer  did  not 
check  until  some  time  after  it  had  reached  the  finishing 
room  and  the  goods  were  partly  finished.  This  problem 
would  not  be  so  serious  for  the  finisher,  and  be  much 
more  easily  solved,  were  it  not  for  the  before-mentioned 
prevailing  idea  that  the  cause  of  the  defects  must  be 
lurking  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  place  where 
the  defects  first  manifest  themselves. 

Everything  has  a  cause,  and  that  cause  is  itself  the 
effect  of  some  other  cause ;  and  one  of  the  first  things 


Knowledge  of  veneers  necessary 


99 


the  investigator  must  learn  is  how  to  distinguish 
between  cause  and  effect  in  their  relation  to  each  other. 
When  veneer  checks,  it  breaks  and  spoils  the  finish. 
That  is  cause  and  effect.  But  what  caused  the  veneer 
to  check?  Shrinking!  What  caused  the  shrinking? 
Drying,  or  the  expulsion  of  moisture.  What  caused 
the  moisture  in  the  veneer?  This  is  the  question  that 
requires  investigation,  and  in  order  to  get  a  correct 
answer  we  may  have  to  pass  out  of  the  finishing  room 
and  trace  the  veneer  back  to  a  time  before  it  was  laid. 
If  we  do  this  we  may  find  that  no  effort  had  been  made 
to  keep  the  veneer  dry  or  make  it  dry  before  it  was  laid. 
And  then  after  it  was  laid  it  was  rushed  off  to  the 
finishing  room  without  any  thought  of  what  effect  it 
would  all  have  upon  the  finish. 

If  anything  like  justice  is  to  be  done  the  finishing 
room  in  the  matter  of  veneered  goods,  all  veneers 
should  be  re-dried  before  being  laid,  and  they  should  be 
laid  in  such  a  way  that  the  moisture  from  the  glue  will 
not  swell  the  veneer  before  it  is  put  under  pressure. 
If  the  veneered  stock  is  put  into  the  press  before  the 
moisture  from  the  glue  has  had  a  chance  to  enter  and 
expand  the  veneer,  there  will  be  no  trouble  from  this 
source,  provided  the  veneer  was  properly  dried  before 
being  laid.  Veneer  cannot  expand  under  the  heavy 
pressure  necessary  to  properly  lay  veneer.  Not  only 
this,  but  when  the  stock  is  hastened  into  the  press, 
instead  of  the  veneer  taking  up  the  moisture,  the  hot 
cauls  will  drive  it  into  the  corestock  where  it  can  do 
no  harm. 

The  utmost  care  should  be  exercised  to  see  that 
veneered  work  is  properly  and  thoroughly  dried  before 
entering  the  finishing  room.  It  is  a  common  practice 
in  some  factories,  where  trouble  with  veneer  checking 
is  experienced,  to  send  the  goods  into  the  finishing  room 
with  instructions  to  the  finisher  “to  get  a  coat  of  some¬ 
thing  on  at  once  to  keep  them  from  checking.”  No 
greater  fallacy  was  ever  breathed.  If  veneered  work 
will  check  if  exposed  to  the  air  before  it  is  finished,  it 
will  check  after  it  is  finished,  no  matter  how  carefully 
the  finishing  may  be  done. 

It  is  true  that  if  heavy  lumber  in  the  green  state 


TROUBLE  MAY 
BE  TRACED  TO 
LAYING  OF 
VENEER. 


POOR  WORK 
RESULT  OF  TOO 
MUCH  HASTE. 


100 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


VENEER  WILL 
CHECK  AFTER 
FINISH  IF 
BEFORE  IT. 


were  submitted  to  a  rapid  drying  process  without  some 
protection  for  the  surface,  the  outside  would  check 
because  it  was  drying  and  shrinking  faster  than  the 
inside.  In  the  case  of  drying  such  lumber  it  is  cus¬ 
tomary  to  afford  protection  to  the  outside  by  allowing 
moisture  in  the  surrounding  atmosphere  until  the  whole 
substance  is  heated  uniformly  thrcugh.  Then  the 
process  of  drying  may  be  allowed  to  proceed  without 
danger,  because  it  will  proceed  uniformly  throughout 
the  whole  substance. 

But  in  the  case  of  veneered  work  it  is  a  different 
proposition.  The  inside  of  the  stock  is  already  dry,  and 
only  the  outside  is  to  be  made  dry,  consequently  there 
is  no  advantage  in  doing  anything  that  will  retard  the 
drying  process.  In  fact  to  do  so  merely  means  to  heap 
up  trouble  for  the  future  and  prolong  the  day  of  reckon¬ 
ing — and  when  that  reckoning  comes,  all  accounts  must 
be  settled  with  interest. 

As  before  stated,  veneer  that  will  check  before  it  is 
finished  will  check  afterward,  and  then  it  will  do  it  at  a 
time  when  great  damage  to  the  finish  will  result.  All 
checked  veneer  is  hard  on  the  finish,  but  veneer  that 
checks  after  it  is  finished  destroys  the  finish  entirely. 

When  veneer  goes  bad  and  destroys  the  finish  the 
finisher  is  confronted  with  the  problem  of  how  best  to 
remedy  the  defect  and  make  the  goods  pass.  To  repair 
checked  veneered  work,  such  as  has  been  here 
described,  proceed  as  follows:  Rub  the  varnish  down 
with  oil  and  pumice.  Oil  is  preferable  to  water  because 
the  latter  will  get  in  the  checks  and  increase  their  size. 
In  case  of  mahogany  and  other  woods  that  have  been 
stained  with  a  waterstain,  the  water  will  dissolve  the 
stain  and  leave  a  faded  margin  around  the  check. 

After  the  varnish  has  been  rubbed  down,  allow  the 
article  to  stand  for  a  few  hours  in  order  that  as  much 
oil  as  possible  may  ooze  out  of  the  check.  Then  apply 
a  coat  of  very  thin  white  shellac.  This  shellac  should 
not  be  heavier  than  about  one  pound  of  gum  to  the 
gallon.  This  must  be  applied  as  rapidly  and  with  as 
little  brushing  as  possible,  otherwise  it  will  streak  with 
the  brush ;  these  streaks  will  necessitate  a  lot  of  work 
sanding  them  out.  If  the  operator  merely  brushes  it 


KNOWLEDGE  OF  VENEERS  NECESSARY 


101 


enough  to  put  it  on  he  will  find  that  it  will  flow  out  and 
not  leave  laps.  Shellac  as  thin  as  one  pound  to  the 
gallon  has  very  little  body,  and  when  the  solvent  has 
evaporated  there  is  not  enough  left  to  make  a  serious 
lap.  But  the  solvent  will  cut  rapidly  into  the  varnish 
below  and  if  the  brush  is  drawn  across  it  after  it  has 
become  soft  from  the  action  of  the  solvent,  it  will  leave 
ridges.  The  object  of  putting  on  this  shellac  is  two¬ 
fold:  First,  to  neutralize  the  oil  that  may  remain  in 
the  checks,  and  second  to  seal  the  pores  of  the  wood 
surrounding  the  checks  and  hold  up  the  varnish  better. 

After  the  shellac  has  been  put  on,  let  it  dry  from 
12  to  24  hours.  Sand  lightly  with  very  fine  finishing 
paper  and  apply  a  good  coat  of  varnish.  If  the  checks 
are  very  fine  and  not  deep,  one  coat  of  varnish  will 
usually  be  sufficient,  but  if  the  checks  are  bad,  more 
coats  will  be  required.  Where  only  one  coat  of  varnish 
is  applied,  the  utmost  care  must  be  exercised  in  rubbing 
because  if  the  varnish  is  rubbed  through  to  the  old 
varnish  below,  it  will  show  a  patch. 


THIN  SHELLAC 
AS  FINISHER 
ON  VENEER. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


PROCESS  OF  STAINING  VENEER  WORK. 

ALL  veneered  work  does  not  require  the  same 
treatment  preparatory  to  staining.  Walnut  and 
Circassian  should  be  finished  with  fine  sand¬ 
paper  in  order  to  insure  a  clear  finish.  These  woods 
are  usually  stained  with  an  oil  stain  if  they  are  stained 
at  all,  and  therefore  no  grain  or  fuzz  is  raised.  But 
if  the  goods  are  finished  with  a  coarse  sandpaper  a  fuzz 
will  be  raised  into  which  the  stain  will  penetrate  in 
such  quantities  as  to  detract  from  the  clearness  of  the 
finish. 

The  clear,  transparent  finish  that  brings  to  view  all 
the  finer  markings  of  the  wood  depends  almost  as  much 
on  the  way  in  which  the  wood  is  prepared  to  receive  the 
finish  as  on  the  process  of  finishing  itself.  Especially  is 
this  the  case  with  golden  oak  and  other  oak  finishes  that 
are  made  with  a  very  dark  stain.  Not  only  this,  but  the 
depth  of  color  can  be  made  to  vary  by  finishing  the 
wood  with  different  grades  of  sandpaper  to  such  an 
extent  that  one  who  is  not  in  the  secret  would  believe 
that  entirely  different  stains  had  been  used.  The 
coarser  the  paper  used  to  finish  the  wood  the  darker 
will  be  the  effect  produced  by  the  stain ;  and  the  finer 
the  paper  used  for  the  final  finishing  the  more  clear  and 
transparent  may  be  the  finish.  This  applies  to  solid 
wood  as  well  as  to  veneered  work.  Mahogany,  both 
veneered  and  solid,  is  seriously  affected  by  the  way  in 
which  it  is  sanded. 

The  process  of  cleaning  up  mahogany  and  other 
woods  that  are  to  be  stained  with  a  water  stain,  is 
somewhat  different  from  the  process  required  for 
woods  to  be  stained  with  an  oil  stain.  Nearly  all 
mahogany,  and  especially  African  mahogany,  is  very 
fuzzy  and  requires  the  exercise  of  all  the  known  arts  to 
get  it  perfectly  smooth  so  that  it  may  receive  that 
beautiful  transparent  finish  that  shows  up  all  the  fine 
markings  of  the  wood,  which  have  made  this  wood  so 


ALL  VENEER 
DOES  NOT  NEED 
SAME  METHOD. 


104 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


AVOID  USE  OF 
GLUE  SIZE  TO 
STIFFEN  FUZZ. 


/ 


SHELLAC  WILL 
STIFFEN  AND 
HOLD  UP  FUZZ. 


popular.  So  troublesome  has  this  wood  been  that  many 
schemes,  not  conducive  to  the  highest  quality  of  finish, 
have  been  resorted  to  in  order  to  make  it  smooth.  Some 
have  gone  so  far  as  to  use  a  thin  glue-size  on  the  wood 
to  stiffen  the  fuzz  so  that  it  might  be  cut  off  with  fine 
paper.  But  this  should  never  be  done.  No  matter  how 
small  the  quantity  of  glue,  it  will  not  all  come  off  with 
the  sanding  unless  one  goes  deep  enough  to  raise  other 
and  equally  troublesome  fuzz,  and  the  stain  will  lift  the 
glue,  and  both  combined  will  make  a  murky  surface. 

Others  again,  realizing  the  danger  of  the  glue-size 
on  the  one  hand,  and  on  the  other  the  danger  of  the 
filler  gathering  in  this  fuzz  and  making  an  equally  bad 
job  if  it  were  not  taken  off,  have  left  the  fuzz  on  and  the 
filler  off,  and  have  gone  to  the  extra  work  and  expense 
of  applying  several  extra  coats  of  varnish  to  fill  up  the 
pores  and  insure  a  clear  transparent  job.  But  this  is 
no  longer  necessary.  If  one  will  proceed  according  to 
the  following  directions,  trouble  from  this  source  will 
be  reduced  to  a  minimum,  if  not  entirely  eliminated: 
When  the  wood  is  ready  for  the  final  sanding  moisten 
the  surface  with  clear  water,  putting  it  on  with  a 
sponge.  This  will  raise  the  fuzz,  so  that  when  it 
receives  the  final  sanding  with  fine  paper  much  of  the 
fuzz  will  be  cut  off.  Then  stain  the  wood.  This  stain 
will  also  raise  some  fuzz,  but  not  so  much  as  was  raised 
by  the  water.  After  the  stain  is  thoroughly  dry  apply 
to  the  wood  a  coat  of  very  thin  shellac,  not  more  than 
one  and  one-half  pounds  gum  to  the  gallon  of  solvent. 
The  shellac  will  stiffen  and  hold  erect  whatever  fuzz 
remains,  and  unless  the  wood  is  unusually  soft  and 
spongy  will  enable  one  to  sand  it  as  smooth  as  polished 
glass. 

In  this  sanding,  as  everywhere  else  where  good 
results  are  desired,  care  must  be  exercised.  .  Very  fine 
paper  of  the  best  quality  should  be  used  for  this  pur¬ 
pose.  If  one  sands  too  deeply  the  work  will  have  a 
faded  appearance  in  places.  To  enable  one  to  do  the 
work  more  evenly,  especially  on  large  surfaces,  a  soft 
sandpapering  block  will  be  of  great  assistance.  Thick 
felt,  such  as  is  used  for  water  rubbing,  cut  five  inches 
long  by  two  wide,  makes  a  fine  block  for  this  purpose. 


PROCESS  OF  STAINING  VENEER  WORK 


105 


Should  any  places  require  sufficient  sanding  to  give 
the  spot  a  faded  appearance,  apply  a  second  coat  of 
stain  to  the  place  thus  sanded,  and  wipe  it  off  when 
about  half  dry.  When  thoroughly  dry  apply  a  coat  of 
the  thin  shellac.  In  putting  on  this  second  coat  of 
shellac  be  careful  and  cover  every  spot  touched  by  the 
second  coat  of  stain,  otherwise  the  stain  will  show  up 
unevenly  after  the  piece  is  finished. 

Permit  me  here  to  lay  emphasis  upon  the  necessity 
of  having  this  “wash”  coat  of  shellac  very  thin,  other¬ 
wise  it  will  clog  the  fibers  of  the  wood  surrounding  the 
pores  and  prevent  the  filler  taking  a  good  hold.  All 
that  is  required  is  a  sufficient  amount  of  gum  in  the 
solvent  to  hold  the  fuzz  stiffly  erect  in  order  that  the 
sandpaper  may  cut  it  off. 

The  writer  is  aware  that  in  advocating  the  sponging 
of  veneered  work  with  water  for  any  purpose  what¬ 
ever,  he  is  treading  upon  ground  on  which  have  been 
fought  many  battles  between  the  finishing  rooms  and 
the  veneering  departments.  In  entering  upon  this  field, 
I  do  so,  not  for  the  purpose  of  conflict,  but  in  the  hope 
that  many  years’  experience  and  very  careful  observa¬ 
tion  may  result  in  throwing  some  light  upon  a  very 
vexed  question. 

In  the  first  place,  I  take  for  granted  that  the  finisher 
who  sponges  his  mahogany  veneer  before  staining  is 
anxious  to  know  if  sponging  is  injurious,  and  is  willing 
to  discontinue  the  practice  if  it  can  be  shown  that 
it  is  so. 

I  also  take  for  granted  that  the  veneer  man  is 
equally  desirous  of  getting  at  the  truth  of  the  matter, 
so  as  to  know  whether  blisters  and  other  defects  which 
develop  in  veneered  work  after  it  reaches  the  finishing 
room  are  the  result  of  the  practice  of  sponging,  or  in 
consequence  of  some  oversight  on  the  part  of  the  veneer 
room,  and  if  the  latter,  that  he  may  adopt  the  necessary 
means  to  prevent  a  continuance  of  the  defective  work. 

The  usual  cause  of  trouble  from  this  source  are 
“blisters”— the  name  by  which  loose  veneer  is  known 
when  it  raises  from  the  corestock.  It  frequently  hap- 
p  s  that  stock  will  pass  through  all  the  various 
'sses  from  the  veneer  room  to  the  finishing  room 


SANDING  TO 
GIVE  FADED 
APPEARANCE. 


CONTENTION  AS 
TO  SPONGING 
VENEER. 


106 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


“'blisters” 

IN  VENEERS. 


CORRECT 
WEAKNESS 
IN  VENEER 
EARLY. 


without  any  loose  veneer  being  detected.  But  almost 
immediately  after  the  goods  have  been  sponged  or 
received  a  coat  of  water  stain,  the  veneer  is  seen  to 
blister  in  places,  and,  of  course,  the  man  who  has  not 
been  trained  to  delve  to  the  bottom  of  things  at  once 
comes  to  a  conclusion,  based  upon  a  superficial  view, 
and  says  the  stain  or  the  sponging  caused  the  blister  by 
softening  the  glue  and  loosening  the  veneer. 

That  the  water  used  in  sponging  or  staining  was 
the  immediate  cause  of  the  veneer  raising  in  a  blister 
there  can  be  no  doubt,  but  it  would  never  have  raised 
had  it  been  glued  to  the  corestock.  When  we  look  at 
the  matter  calmly,  and  without  prejudice,  we  will  see 
that  it  is  not  a  reasonable  contention  that  the  quantity 
of  water  used  in  sponging  or  staining  could  in  a  few 
minutes  penetrate  the  veneer  and  glue  to  such  an  extent 
that  the  latter  loosens  its  hold  and  allows  the  former 
to  raise.  And  if  it  cannot  do  this  in  a  few  minutes  it 
can  never  do  it  because,  after  a  few  minutes  in  the 
temperature  of  the  average  finishing  room,  the  moisture 
has  largely  evaporated.  Instead  of  the  moisture  which 
is  still  in  the  wood  penetrating  deeper  to  affect  the 
glue,  it  is  being  drawn  out  and  vaporized  by  the 
atmosphere.  I  have  heard  the  argument  frequently 
advanced  that  if  veneered  work  has  an  inherent  weak¬ 
ness,  then  everything  possible  should  be  done  to  prevent 
this  weakness  manifesting  itself.  Here,  again,  a  super¬ 
ficial  view  gives  this  the  appearance  of  being  reason¬ 
able;  and  it  would  be  a  reasonable  proposition  if  time 
alone  could  heal  the  defect  and  strengthen  the  weak¬ 
ness.  But  such  is  not  the  case.  Time  is  against  it,  and 
if  we  do  not  do  something  to  detect  these  defects  in  the 
early  stages  of  the  finishing  process,  time  will  reveal 
them  for  us  and  do  it  in  a  period  when  it  will  cost 
considerable  to  right  the  wrong. 

If  there  are  those  who  still  believe  sponging  will 
injure  veneered  work,  here  are  a  couple  of  experiments 
for  them  to  try :  Select  a  piece  of  veneered  work  that 
you  are  positive  is  perfectly  sound.  Sponge  this  piece 
with  water  every  half  hour  until  you  can  pull  the  veneer 
off.  By  this  time  I  think  you  will  be  ready  to  admit 
that  one  sponging  or  one  coat  of  stain  will  not  do  any 


PROCESS  OF  STAINING  VENEER  WORK 


107 


injury  to  good  veneered  work  that  will  be  perceptible. 

The  other  experiment  is  this:  Take  a  veneered 
board  and  a  pail  of  water.  Pour  into  the  pail  of  water 
a  sufficient  quantity  of  stain  to  give  it  a  deep  color. 
This  color  will  enable  one  to  detect  the  distance  it  pene¬ 
trates  into  the  wood.  Take  a  brush  or  a  sponge  and 
apply  to  the  veneer  a  coat  of  this  colored  water.  Put 
it  on  heavy,  many  times  heavier  than  would  be  done  in 
the  ordinary  course  of  staining  or  sponging.  After  it 
is  dry  sand  or  scrape  the  surface  until  all  signs  of  the 
stain  have  disappeared.  When  this  has  been  done  it 
will  surprise  many  to  learn  what  a  short  distance  it 
penetrated  into  the  veneer.  One  must  come  to  the  con¬ 
clusion  that  the  primary  cause  of  loose  veneer  is  much 
deeper  than  this. 

We  think  we  have  shown  that  no  harm  results  from 
sponging  veneered  work,  and  we  might  enumerate  a 
few  of  the  advantages  to  be  gained  from  this  practice 
in  the  preparation  of  both  solid  and  veneered  work  for 
the  finish,  apart  from  the  raising  of  the  fuzz. 

Mahogany,  with  the  exception  of  Cuban  mahogany, 
is  very  soft  and  easily  bruised.  It  is  asking  too  much 
that  this  wood  pass  through  all  the  various  processes 
from  the  dry  kiln  to  the  finishing  room  without  receiv¬ 
ing  any  bruises.  If  nothing  is  done  in  the  process  of 
cleaning  up  this  wood  to  bring  these  bruises  back  the 
surface  will  be  cleaned  off  to  a  level  with  the  bottom  of 
the  bruises,  and  when  the  stain  is  applied,  if  a  water 
stain  is  used,  the  bruises  will  swell  up  and  leave  raises 
on  the  wood.  If  an  oil  stain  is  used  these  bruises  will 
not  likely  manifest  themselves  until  the  finishing 
process  has  pretty  far  advanced,  perhaps  not  until  they 
have  passed  through  the  varnish  room  and  the  goods 
are  being  brought  out  to  rub.  During  the  weeks  that 
the  goods  have  been  in  the  finishing  room  the  expansion 
and  contraction  of  the  wood  caused  by  atmospheric 
changes  have  relaxed  the  tension  of  the  fibers  in  the 
bruised  part,  and  they  have  endeavored  to  resume  their 
normal  condition,  and  raise  higher  than  the  surround¬ 
ing  fibers,  owing  to  the  others  having  been  cut  down  in 
the  scraping  or  sanding.  Had  this  wood  been  sponged 
with  water  some  time  during  the  process  of  cleaning 


EXPERIMENTS 
IN  SPONGING 
VENEER. 


CORRECTING 
DEFECTS  IN 
MAHOGANY. 


BRINGING  BACK 
INDENTATIONS. 


DEFECTS  SHOW 
UP  EQUALLY 
WITH  BEAUTIES. 


108 _ PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 

up,  these  bruised  parts  would  have  been  swelled  out  to 
their  normal  condition,  and,  if  too  high,  they  would 
have  been  cut  off  to  the  proper  level. 

In  cleaning  up  mahogany  or  other  soft  wood  that 
has  been  shaped  or  run  through  the  sticker,  sponging 
is  of  incalculable  benefit.  The  rapidly  revolving  knives, 
no  matter  how  sharp  or  well  adjusted  they  may  be,  and 
the  rollers  through  which  the  wood  passes,  are  certain 
to  make  indentations  in  the  softer  woods.  Unless  some¬ 
thing  is  done  during  the  process  of  cleaning  up  to  bring 
these  indentations  back,  they  will  show  up  after  the 
goods  are  finished. 

It  is  not  an  uncommon  thing  to  see  O.  G.  drawers 
and  other  shaped  work,  such  as  rolls  of  beds  and  mirror 
frames  that  have  been  veneered,  showing  up  these 
regular  indentations.  These  marks  are  not  so  pro¬ 
nounced  if  the  body  of  the  article  in  question  is  made 
of  some  hardwood,  such  as  birch  or  maple,  because 
these  woods  do  not  bruise  easily.  But  a  great  deal  of 
veneering  is  done  on  whitewood  and  basswood — woods 
that  are  very  soft;  and,  under  the  mistaken  idea  that 
the  veneer  will  cover  up  all  defects,  no  effort  is  made 
to  clean  up  the  core  before  the  veneer  is  laid. 

In  order  that  goods  may  be  given  a  good  finish  at  a 
minimum  cost  in  the  finishing  room,  it  is  imperative 
that  everything  be  right  when  the  goods  reach  that 
department.  The  object  of  finishing  is  to  draw  out  and 
enhance  the  natural  beauty  of  the  article  finished,  and 
this  can  be  accomplished  only  when  there  is  some 
natural  beauty  to  enhance.  The  same  force  or  power 
that  reveals  and  enhances  the  natural  beauties  of  the 
wood  will  show  up  with  equal  distinctness  any  defects 
that  may  be  present.  After  an  article  is  cleaned  up, 
and  ready  for  the  finisher,  no  one  can  tell  whether  care 
has  been  exercised  in  the  preparation  of  the  corebody 
for  the  veneer.  But  with  each  succeeding  application’ 
after  the  finishing  process  has  commenced  there  is  a 
gradual  unfolding,  alike  of  beauties  and  defects,  and  it 
is  then  that  any  neglect  or  carelessness  on  the  part  of 
the  woodworker  will  manifest  itself. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


PREPARATION  OF  CROTCH  VENEERS. 


CONSIDERABLE  trouble  is  experienced  at  times 
with  crotch  veneer  that  has  chipped  during  the 
cutting.  Little  particles  of  the  veneer  are  broken 
out,  but  it  is  not  advisable  to  scrape  the  whole  surface 
down  to  a  level  with  the  holes  because  that  would  make 
the  veneer  too  thin,  and  perhaps  result  in  scraping 
through  in  places.  Various  methods  of  filling  these 
holes  have  been  tried  such  as  burning  shellac  gum  into 
them.  But  this  plan  is  not  satisfactory  because  burnt 
shellac  is  not  sufficiently  transparent.  A  number  of 
wood  finishing  supply  houses  have  placed  on  the  market 
a  transparent  cement  by  the  aid  of  which  these  defects 
in  crotch  veneer,  together  with  all  kinds  of  chips  and 
bruises,  may  be  repaired  so  perfectly  that  the  most 
careful  search  will  fail  to  find  them  after  the  goods 
are  finished. 

The  tools  necessary  for  the  work  are  a  spirit  lamp 
and  a  knife.  Any  narrow  piece  of  steel  or  iron  that  is 
heavy  enough  to  hold  heat  for  a  minute  will  answer 
the  purpose  of  the  knife.  The  best  tool  for  the  purpose 
is  made  by  grinding  the  edges  of  a  putty  knife  until  the 
end  of  the  blade  is  about  three-eighths  of  an  inch  wide. 
It  is  necessary  that  a  spirit  or  alcohol  flame  be  used, 
as  any  other  flame  will  discolor  and  destroy  the  trans¬ 
parency  of  the  cement. 

The  proper  place  to  do  the  cementing  is  in  the 
cabinet  room  at  the  time  that  the  wood  is  being  cleaned 
up.  The  earlier  the  defect  is  discovered  and  repaired 
the  better.  The  first  thing  to  do  is  stain  the  hole  with 
some  of  the  stain  in  which  the  goods  are  to  be  finished. 
Stain  will  not  “take”  over  this  cement,  and  as  the  latter 
is  transparent,  it  is  necessary  to  stain  the  cavity 
before  filling,  in  order  that  it  may  have  the  proper  color 
after  it  is  finished.  Stain  a  wide  margin  around  the 
cavity  to  prevent  cement  coming  in  contact  with  the 
white  wood,  when  putting  it  in  or  sanding  afterward. 


HOW  TO  FILL 
HOLES  IN 
THE  CROTCH 
VENEER. 


DO  REPAIR 
WORK  IN 
THE  CABINET 
ROOM. 


1 


110 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


WHEN  DEFECT 
ESCAPES  EYE 
OF  CABINET 
MAN. 


If  the  cavity  to  be  filled  is  not  large,  the  knife  should 
be  heated  over  the  flame  until  sufficiently  hot  to  melt 
the  cement  when  held  to  it,  and  when  enough  has  been 
melted  to  fill  the  hole  it  should  be  pressed  in  with  the 
knife.  If  possible,  take  up  a  sufficient  quantity  the 
first  time  to  fill  the  hole,  because  if  the  first  lot  becomes 
hard  before  the  second  lot  is  put  in,  a  perfect  union 
between  the  two  lots  may  not  take  place,  and  the  last 
lot  may  chip  off. 

If  the  hole  is  large  a  better  way  would  be  to  hold 
the  lamp  on  its  side  and  bring  the  cement  in  direct 
contact  with  the  flame  and  as  the  cement  melts  allow 
it  to  drop  into  the  cavity  until  the  latter  is  full.  When 
cooling,  but  while  yet  in  a  soft,  pliable  condition,  the 
cement  should  be  pressed  firmly  into  the  cavity  to 
insure  it  obtaining  a  firm  hold  of  the  wood,  and  to 
destroy  any  air  bubbles  that  may  have  formed.  When 
the  cement  is  hard,  cut  off  the  surplus  with  a  sharp 
chisel  and  sandpaper. 

But  it  sometimes  happens  that  defects  of  this  kind 
escape  the  attention  of  the  man  cleaning  up  the  wood, 
and  are  not  detected  until  they  reach  the  finishing  room 
and  receive  a  coat  of  stain.  When  that  happens,  the 
better  way  would  be  to  allow  the  goods  to  proceed  until 
they  have  received  a  coat  of  varnish.  If  an  effort  were 
made  to  remedy  the  defect  at  this  stage,  it  might  result 
in  making  matters  worse  by  cutting  or  sanding  into  the 
stain.  If  it  is  delayed  until  a  coat  of  varnish  has  been 
applied  it  may  be  proceeded  with  without  danger  from 
this  source.  But  when  sanding  over  the  varnish,  a 
little  linseed  oil  or  benzine  should  be  used  to  prevent 
the  sandpaper  burning  or  scratching  the  varnish. 

A  good  alcohol  lamp  may  be  made  from  an  ordinary 
machine  oil  can.  Cut  off  the  end  of  the  spout  leaving 
only  about  one  and  one-half  inch  of  the  larger  end. 
Ordinary  cotton  twine  may  be  folded  up  to  make  a 
wick,  if  nothing  better  is  at  hand. 

When  using  the  lamp  do  not  allow  the  knife  or  the 
cement  to  come  in  contact  with  the  wick,  because  if  the 
wick  becomes  dirty  it  will  smoke  and  smudge  the 
cement  and  destroy  its  clearness. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


DIPPING  OR  TANKING  STAINS. 


DIPPING  or  tanking  stains,  that  is,  immersing  the 
material  to  be  colored,  is  found  to  be  expedient 
in  many  lines  of  manufacture,  such  as  in  fac¬ 
tories  where  small  parts  are  used,  or  where  small 
pieces  are  manufactured,  toys,  checkers,  piano  and 
typewriter  keys,  handles,  and  all  similar  parts.  These 
can  be  colored  much  more  uniformly  and  cheaper  when 
subjected  to  the  dipping  process. 

Considerable  uniformity  can  be  maintained  pro¬ 
vided  certain  basic  facts  relative  to  the  material  are 
employed.  Spraying  will  produce  the  same  effect  until 
the  stain  is  completely  consumed;  this  cannot  be  said 
for  a  dipping  stain.  The  dipping  method  is  an  eco¬ 
nomical  method  as  far  as  labor  is  concerned,  and  a 
speedy  method  where  the  articles  dipped  are  not  too 
large.  The  one  difficulty,  and  the  one  question  that  is 
sought  to  be  cared  for,  are  the  methods  to  keep  the  stain 
of  uniform  strength  throughout  the  manipulation,  so 
that  the  last  piece  dipped  will  have  the  same  color  as 
the  first  piece. 

It  is  a  peculiar  fact  that  one  color,  that  is,  one  color 
material,  may  have  a  greater  affinity  for  the  wood  than 
another.  Thus  it  is  this  particular  component  is 
exhausted  much  quicker  than  some  of  the  others,  so 
that  after  a  dipping  stain  has  been  used  for  some  time, 
the  shade  is  so  gradually  changed  it  is  not  noticed  at 
the  time,  but  when  the  first  piece  is  compared  with  the 
last  piece  there  is  quite  an  appreciable  difference.  In 
many  things  that  are  dipped,  such  as  stepladders, 
handles,  toys,  this  may  not  make  much  difference,  but 
in  furniture  it  should  not  be  the  case,  and,  by  the  simple 
methods  which  will  be  given,  can  be  avoided.  Suppos¬ 
ing  a  man  were  dipping  children’s  furniture,  and  a 
hundred  sets  were  to  be  run  through.  Naturally  the 
little  table  would  go  first,  then  possibly  the  chairs  next. 
It  might  so  happen  that  a  fair  degree  of  uniformity 


STAINING  BY 
DIPPING  IS 
RAPID  METHOD. 


COLORS  HAVE 
VARYING 
AFFINITIES 
FOR  WOODS. 


112 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


LESS  VEHICLE 
ABSORBED  ON 
HARDWOOD. 


DIPPING  STAIN 
SHOULD  BE 
STRONGER  THAN 
BRUSHING. 


would  result,  but  unless  the  stain  is  kept  up  to  standard 
some  parts  of  that  set  are  very  apt  to  be  lighter,  that 
is,  of  a  lighter  shade  than  those  dipped  at  first. 

Another  peculiarity  of  dipping  stains  is  the  fact 
that  on  hardwood  the  color  will  exhaust  proportionately 
quicker  than  on  soft  woods.  This,  because  of  the  fact 
that  on  the  hard  woods  less  vehicle  is  absorbed  than  on 
the  soft  wood.  In  dipping  a  soft  wood  the  vehicle  pene¬ 
trates  farther  but  leaves  color  particles  more  on  the 
outside.  While  it  is  not  absolutely  correct  to  say  “color 
particles,”  it  is  nevertheless  the  case,  and  of  interest  to 
note  that  the  moisture  precedes  the  color. 

Dipping  stains  are  usually  made  of  oil,  or  water  as 
a  vehicle.  By  oils  is  meant  turpentine,  benzoles,  and 
the  various  naphthas.  To  those  not  acquainted  with  the 
dipping  proposition  it  might  be  well  to  say  that  it  is  a 
quick  way  and  a  very  good  way.  The  care  taken  is  pro¬ 
portionate  to  the  quality  of  the  material  manufactured. 
Cheap  goods  are  simply  dipped  and  passed  along  on  a 
draining  board  which  permits  the  excess  stain  to  run 
back  into  the  tank.  Better  goods  should  be  wiped  clean 
to  avoid  runs.  It  ofttimes  may  be  necessary  to  make  a 
dipping  stain  a  trifle  stronger  than  where  it  is  applied 
with  a  brush.  It  will  be  seen  usually  that  this  is  neces¬ 
sary  because  the  stain  is  not  worked  in. 

If  it  is  a  water  stain,  many  may  have  misgivings  as 
to  the  effect  on  veneers  and  glue  joints.  These  can  be 
dispelled  easily  because  the  article  is  simply  immersed, 
and  immediately  withdrawn,  and  in  these  cases,  a  hot 
dipping  stain,  when  made  of  water,  is  better  than  a  cold 
dipping  stain.  First,  it  penetrates  more  readily,  and 
second,  it  dries  quicker.  The  wiping  off  on  hardwood 
especially  is  to  be  recommended  to  overcome  any  pos¬ 
sible  air  cells  or  patches  that  might  not  be  covered  when 
the  immersion  is  done  quickly.  Thus  it  would  tend  to 
make  a  uniform  job.  It  must  be  remembered,  however, 
that  a  stain  applied  cold  will  not  give  as  dark  a  color  as 
one  that  is  applied  hot,  for  it  is  readily  understood  that 
the  hot  mixture  penetrates  deeper  and  in  consequence 
deposits  more  color. 

In  a  water  stain  it  does  not  matter  what  shade  or 
what  kind  of  wood  is  to  be  dipped,  it  is  merely  a  case  of 


DIPPING  OR  TANKING  STAINS 


113 


establishing  the  strength  in  accordance  with  the 
method  to  be  employed ;  that  is,  whether  it  is  going  to 
be  used  cold  or  whether  it  is  to  be  kept  warm  by  a 
steam  coil  or  a  steam  jet.  One  thing  is  certain,  a  stain 
should  be  kept  at  uniform  temperature  so  that  the  pene¬ 
tration  is  uniform. 

Again,  the  material  to  be  dipped  should  be  of  uni¬ 
form  temperature.  Raw  material  should  not  be  stored 
in  a  cold  room  and  then  brought  in  to  be  dipped.  There 
would  be  some  disappointment,  especially  on  hardwood, 
if  this  were  undertaken.  A  steam  jet  in  a  large  vat 
works  satisfactorily  but  not  so  well  in  a  small  vat. 
There  is  a  certain  amount  of  condensation  which  adds 
materially  to  the  amount  of  water.  A  certain  amount 
of  water  follows  steam,  and  if  the  pressure  is  low, 
there  is  apt  to  be  quite  an  amount  of  water  added  to 
that  in  the  vat.  The  diminishing  of  the  water  by  the 
dipping  process  is  carried  on  in  a  direct  ratio  with 
the  color  materials,  and  these  can  be  kept  up  to  stand¬ 
ard  as  we  will  shortly  see. 

Consider  an  oil  stain.  For  example  a  golden  oak, 
the  color  of  which  depends  largely  upon  asphaltum 
varnish,  oil  yellow  and  oil  black.  It  will  be  noticed 
that  the  yellow  on  many  woods  gradually  will  become 
less  noticeable;  in  short,  it  is  exhausted  quicker  than 
either  the  black  or  the  asphaltum  component.  If  it  is 
desired  to  keep  the  oil  stain  warm  it  can  be  done  by 
means  of  a  steam  coil,  and  on  good  furniture  it  is  more 
necessary  to  wipe  than  on  cheaper  materials.  Where  it 
is  to  be  wiped  clean  the  stain  should  be  stronger  or 
the  immersion  longer.  Manufacturers  of  asphaltum 
varnish  of  late  have  been  selecting  their  material  so 
that  a  richer  and  more  golden  color  is  obtained  than 
heretofore.  It  is  sold  as  asphaltum  varnish  for  making 
golden  oak  stain.  Some  call  it  standardized  asphaltum, 
which  name  covers  the  two  requisites  of  the  material 
for  producing  stains:  First,  the  color,  and  secondly, 
a  uniformity  of  strength,  so  that  a  given  amount  of 
asphaltum  will  always  have  the  same  color  value  as 
the  preceding  lot.  The  maker  of  stains  has  simply  to 
specify  what  he  wishes  this  asphaltum  for,  and  he  can 
readily  find  it  in  the  market. 


STAIN  SHOULD 
BE  KEPT 
EVEN  IN 
TEMPERATURE. 


THE  USE  OF 
ASPHALTUM. 


114 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


SOME  OPPOSE 

DIPPING 

METHODS. 


TESTING  FOR 

UNIFORM 

COLOR. 


Now  that  the  two  colors,  here  referred  to,  have 
doubled  and  trebled  in  price,  it  might  be  of  financial 
interest  to  those  using  golden  oak  stain  to  investigate 
this  method  of  producing  it.  Those  who  are  making  the 
grayish  cast  of  golden  oak  will  find  that  the  asphaltum 
with  the  black  will  give  them  the  desired  results.  Any 
innovation  in  a  method  meets  with  a  certain  amount 
of  opposition  by  those  who  have  been  following  a 
beaten  path.  All  kinds  of  criticisms  are  heaped  upon 
the  idea.  The  spraying  machine  is  an  example.  No 
new  method  ever  received  such  a  chilly  reception  as  did 
that.  Unquestionably,  if  one  would  suggest  to  a  factory 
which  never  did  any  dipping,  to  dip  its  work,  the  same 
reception  would  be  in  store  for  the  method. 

It  is  not  claimed  that  everything  and  anything  can 
be  dipped.  Common  sense  tells  us  that.  But  there  are 
hundreds  of  small  pieces  manufactured  that  can  be  sub¬ 
jected  to  the  dipping  process  at  quite  a  saving  of  time 
and  labor,  with  probably  better  results  than  where  an 
attempt  is  made  to  do  the  staining  with  a  brush. 
Brushes  cost  money  these  days. 

Undoubtedly  fault  will  be  found  at  once  as  to  the 
possibility  of  keeping  a  general  uniformity  of  color, 
but  this  is  easily  handled  in  the  following  manner. 
When  the  strength  has  been  ascertained,  the  vat  pre¬ 
pared,  either  for  oil  or  water  stain,  and  all  the  tests 
have  proven  that  the  first  immersion  gives  the  desired 
color,  the  standard  is  then  kept  by  proceeding  as  fol¬ 
lows  : 

A  cylindrical  vat  is  filled  with  the  original  liquid, 
or  a  large  test  tube  would  make  a  very  practical  con¬ 
tainer,  securely  corked  and  labeled  as  the  standard. 
Strong  solutions  of  known  strength  are  prepared  of 
the  different  components  of  the  stain.  Then  we  proceed 
to  dip,  and  after  the  process  is  continued  a  sample  is 
removed  from  the  vat  and  compared  with  the  original. 
If  it  has  fallen  off  at  all,  it  will  be  noticed  immediately 
when  held  up  to  the  light.  A  delicate  test  is  to  watch 
the  effect  of  a  few  drops  of  this  material  on  a  clean 
blotter.  It  will  be  noticed  that  as  it  spreads  on  a  blot¬ 
ter  the  different  colors  will  form  a  circle,  the  stronger 
color  penetrating  out  into  the  blotter  farther  than  the 


DIPPING  OR  TANKING  STAINS 


115 


weaker  color.  These  rings  will  tell  you  at  once  by  com¬ 
parison  which  color  is  exhausted  the  most. 

From  these  comparative  tests  we  realize  that  the 
stain  is  not  up  to  the  original  test.  Although  the  work 
being  dipped  may  not  yet  manifest  the  discrepancy, 
the  stain  having  run  down,  the  balance  left  in  the  vat 
can  be  brought  up  to  standard.  The  sample  taken  from 
the  vat  is  carefully  measured  out  in  a  cylinder,  and  the 
quantity  in  the  tank  figured  up.  The  tanks  are  usually 
square,  and  by  ascertaining  the  amount  of  cubic  inches, 
dividing  this  by  the  amount  of  cubic  inches  in  the 
gallon,  the  number  of  gallons  in  the  tank  is  established. 
Granted  that  our  cylinder  holds  a  pint,  this  is  brought 
up  to  strength  by  adding  from  our  standard  solution 
stock  enough  of  each  color  so  that  by  comparison  with 
the  solution  in  the  thin  tube  the  color  is  identical.  Then 
if  the  amount  has  been  carefully  kept  track  of,  that  is, 
the  amount  of  the  solution  added  to  the  pint,  and  is 
multiplied  by  eight,  there  being  eight  pints  to  the  gal¬ 
lon,  and  this  multiplied  by  the  number  of  gallons  in  the 
tank,  the  amount  of  stock  solutions  to  be  added  is 
given.  This  added  to  the  liquid  in  the  vat  will  bring 
up  the  stain  to  its  original  strength. 

This  is  not  a  long  procedure,  nor  is  it  a  difficult  one ; 
in  fact,  it  is  an  interesting  problem  for  the  foreman 
finisher.  The  same  proposition  will  confront  him  when 
he  comes  to  increase  the  amount  of  stain  in  the  vat. 
Take  a  vat  of  25  gallons;  when  it  runs  down  so  that 
it  no  longer  covers  the  materials  that  are  to  be  dipped, 
the  quantity  of  stain  will  have  to  be  increased.  It 
might  be  an  easy  matter  to  simply  make  up  another 
batch  of  stain  and  fill  the  vat  to  the  required  depth; 
but  when  a  stain  has  been  used  so  long  that  the  quan¬ 
tity  is  reduced — where  the  tank  needs  filling — it  is 
apt  to  fall  below  par,  and  before  adding  new  stain  to 
it,  it  first  should  be  brought  up  to  strength.  I  know 
of  no  stain  that  becomes  stronger  in  the  dipping  proc¬ 
ess,  but  should  such  a  proposition  arise,  it  is  an  easy 
matter  to  reduce  it  by  the  addition  of  more  vehicle. 

An  oil  stain  containing  much  naphtha  is  of  more 
or  less  danger  owing  to  its  vapors,  and  an  open  blaze 
should  not  be  permitted  in  close  proximity,  nor  should 


STAIN  NOT  UP 
TO  ORIGINAL 
TEST. 


TEST  IS  AN 

INTERESTING 

PROBLEM. 


116 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


DANGER  OF 
OIL  STAINS 
WITH  NAPHTHA. 


STAINING  BY 
IMMERSION. 


an  open  flame  be  on  any  floor  below  a  dipping  vat 
where  oil  stains  are  employed.  Naphtha  vapors  are 
heavier  than  air  and  follow  the  floor  rather  than  rise 
to  the  ceiling.  Naphtha  vapor  will  run  along  the 
floor,  following  a  current  of  air  down  an  elevator  shaft 
and  to  a  fire  room,  and  in  this  manner  a  sudden  blaze 
may  be  caused.  Good  circulation  is  necessary,  and 
should  be  of  such  strength  that  the  vapor  is  brought  out 
of  doors  in  the  shortest  possible  time.  When  the  vat 
is  not  in  use,  provision  should  be  made  to  draw  off  the 
oil  stain  into  air-tight  cans,  for  if  allowed  to  stand  any 
length  of  time,  enough  of  the  light  oils  may  evaporate 
to  cause  a  material  change  of  color. 

Small  pieces  for  staining  can  be  handled  in  baskets 
or  cages  that  can  be  closed,  made  of  wire,  the  mesh 
just  small  enough  so  that  the  pieces  will  not  fall 
through.  This  wire  cage  is  immersed  in  the  tank, 
and  worked  up  and  down,  so  that  the  liquid  penetrates 
and  touched  all  pieces.  It  is  then  pulled  up  and  swung 
over  onto  the  dripping  board  which  leads  back  to  the 
tank.  Where  the  stain  is  hot,  it  will  be  found  the  pieces 
are  practically  dry  in  a  few  minutes.  The  basket  is 
opened  and  the  contents  dumped  onto  the  upper  end  of 
the  dripping  board  from  which  it  readily  can  be  re¬ 
moved  in  a  few  minutes,  without  the  dye  being  affected 
in  any  way.  This  dripping  board  acts  as  a  drying 
board,  from  which  the  stained  pieces  can  be  shoved 
into  carts  for  the  next  operation.  In  case  of  caster 
wheels,  or  small  parts  that  are  to  receive  a  polish, 
directions  will  be  found  in  this  book  for  producing  an 
inexpensive  polish  by  tumbling  them. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


IMPORTANT  FUNCTION  OF  FILLER. 


AFTER  the  preparation  of  the  wood,  through  the 
sanding  and  sponging  process,  the  next  step  is 
Filling.  Proper  filling  of  the  wood  is  as  im¬ 
portant  as  any  one  of  the  details  that  go  to  make  the 
finish. 

It  might  be  said  that  all  woods  are  filled,  modified, 
however,  by  stating  some  are  filled  with  a  liquid  filler, 
some  with  an  absolutely  transparent  filler,  and  others 
with  a  paste  filler.  Woods  like  gum  and  Circassian 
walnut  come  in  the  class  of  transparent  fillers,  by  which 
is  meant  oil,  shellac,  or  one  of  the  many  modern  prod¬ 
ucts  of  the  varnish  factory.  Before  the  discovery  of  a 
filler,  repeated  coats  of  drying  oil  were  rubbed  into  the 
wood. 

Then  came  the  era  of  shellac.  The  finisher  should 
remember  that  while  shellac  makes  a  very  admirable 
first  coat  finish,  it  should  always  be  applied  thin,  as  it 
does  not  form  the  best  adhesion  either  to  the  wood  or 
the  subsequent  coats  of  varnish. 

When  shellacs  are  used  with  the  idea  of  constituting 
a  filler  coat,  they  should  be  applied  thin,  two  thin  coats 
being  preferred  to  one  heavier  coat,  and  should  be 
sanded  smooth.  The  wood  then  will  be  ready  for  its 
subsequent  finish.  On  porous  woods,  it  is  better  to  use 
a  paste  filler,  preferably  made  from  a  floated  silex 
base,  than  either  a  shellac  or  liquid  filler.  The  object 
is  to  fill  the  pores  with  material  that  will  neither  ex¬ 
pand  nor  contract  through  the  different  temperatures, 
or  atmospheric  conditions. 

Here  let  it  be  understood  that  experience  has  taught 
us  that  any  vegetable,  such  as  the  various  starches, 
which  have  f^en  used  in  years  gone  by,  is  a  mighty 
poor  filler  at  the  best.  Whiting,  China  clay,  resins, 
lime  or  f  ir  should  not  be  considered  up-to-date  mate¬ 
rials.  For  let  it  be  understood  that  a  good  filler  is 
made  up  of  something  that  neither  shrinks  nor  absorbs 


FILLING  AN 
IMPORTANT 
PROCESS. 


PASTE  FILLER 
FOR  POROUS 
WOODS. 


118 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


GOOD  FILLER 
MUST  BE  ONE 
IMPERVIOUS 
TO  WATER. 


FOREMAN  MUST 

UNDERSTAND 

FILLERS. 


any  of  the  vehicle  that  may  be  used  to  spread  it  and 
hold  it  to  place.  It  must  be  impervious  to  water.  Tem¬ 
perature  should  have  little  or  no  effect.  It  must  be  a 
material  heavy  enough  in  specific  gravity  to  obviate  the 
carrying  with  it  of  air  cells  into  the  crevices  or  pores  of 
the  wood.  These  air  cells  will  afterward  permit  the 
settling  of  the  filler.  The  entire  finishing  process  will 
be  completed  before  this  will  manifest  itself.  To  the 
writer’s  mind,  there  is  nothing  that  will  take  the  place 
of  floated  silex. 

The  addition  of  color  material  should  be  only  of 
such  quantity  as  absolutely  necessary  to  produce  the 
shade  desired,  and  in  such  cases  colors  ground  in  oil 
are  preferable,  as  the  grinding  process  intimately  mixes 
the  oil  with  the  color  particles  of  the  pigment  employed, 
and  in  such  case  reduces  the  bulk  of  the  color  to  the 
minimum.  Compactness  of  a  filler  is  the  desired  object. 

Liquid  fillers,  such  as  those  made  up  of  oils  and 
resins,  into  which  have  been  ground  various  earthy 
products,  are  on  the  market,  and  usually  found  in  paint 
stores,  either  as  natural  or  colored,  according  to  the 
woods  and  finishes  for  which  they  are  desired.  They 
are  neither  a  liquid  filler  nor  a  paste  filler,  but  might 
be  said  to  be  the  paste  filler  thinned,  ready  for  the 
brush,  when  stirred. 

These  fillers  are  adapted  to  many  cases  of  finishing, 
where  the  artisan  has  not  the  material  at  hand  with 
which  to  prepare  his  own  filler.  In  the  larger  plants  it 
is  necessary  for  the  foreman  to  thoroughly  understand 
the  coloring  and  preparation  of  the  filler  for  the  par¬ 
ticular  finish  that  is  being  produced. 

In  this  treatise,  with  each  stain  formula  given  there 
will  be  found  an  indication  of  how  to  color  the  filler 
for  each  particular  finish,  which,  together  with  this 
general  outline  of  fillers,  will  enable  the  reader  to  com¬ 
prehend  and  understand  the  procedure  he  should  fol¬ 
low. 

That  the  filler  plays  a  large  part  in  the  production 
of  the  color  effect,  especially  in  the  oaks,  is  known  to 
every  finisher.  Filler  must  be  in  harmony  with  the 
stain,  but  if  it  is  too  radical  in  shade,  it  becomes  freak¬ 
ish  and,  when  the  wood  mellows  down,  shows  that  it 


IMPORTANT  FUNCTION  OF  FILLER 


119 


is  not  a  part  of  the  staining  operation,  but  it  is  apparent 
it  is  applied  to  the  wood  in  solid  form  and,  in  short, 
does  not  affiliate  itself  with  the  general  desired  results. 

In  such  finishes  as  antique  oak,  Flemish,  bog,  mala¬ 
chite  green,  forest  green,  cathedral,  Early  English, 
Antwerp,  Belgium,  baronial,  Dutch  brown,  English  oak, 
golden  oak,  tobacco  brown,  silver  oak,  gray  oak,  Kaiser 
grey,  oriental,  sixteenth  century,  drift  wood  and  others, 
the  filler  plays  an  important  part  in  the  results. 

Each  and  every  one  is  produced  to  harmonize  in 
color  effect  with  the  general  style  of  the  finish.  It  is 
not  uncommon,  especially  in  matching  products  of  other 
finishers,  to  have  the  correct  match  as  far  as  the  stain 
is  concerned,  only  to  ruin  all  the  efforts  by  making  the 
wrong  colored  filler.  It  is  well  for  the  artisan  to  have 
a  small  magnifying  glass  with  which  to  thoroughly  in¬ 
spect  the  filler  of  the  sample  that  he  is  trying  to  match. 

Under  the  chapter  Matchings,  and  in  the  procedure 
there  given,  will  be  found  valuable  hints  on  how  to 
recognize  the  color  in  a  sample  of  finish  brought  in  for 
matching. 

It  will  easily  be  seen  that  it  is  absolutely  essential 
to  have  a  knowledge  of  the  procedure  necessary  for  the 
production  of  a  good,  reliable  filler.  Leaving  aside  the 
question  whether  it  is  best  from  a  financial  standpoint 
to  buy  the  silex  filler  in  paste  form  or  to  buy  it  in  the 
dry  form,  the  artisan  should  know  how  to  proceed  to 
prepare  his  filler  for  any  particular  style  of  finish. 

In  cases  where  the  paste  filler  is  at  hand,  as  stated 
before,  stir  in  colors  ground  in  oil,  such  as  recom¬ 
mended  and  such  as  were  found  to  produce  the  desired 
shade  of  filler.  When  the  dry  silex  is  to  be  used,  stir 
into  the  silex  boiled  oil  and  turpentine  of  sufficient 
quantity  to  make  a  homogeneous  paste  of  the  consis¬ 
tency  of  a  very  heavy  paint.  Then  the  color  is  thinned, 
generally  using  nothing  but  turpentine.  When  this  is 
so  you  can  pour  it  out  of  the  can,  stir  it  into  the  paste 
filler  until  the  same  becomes  of  a  uniform  color,  a  ho¬ 
mogeneous  mass,  when  it.  is  ready  for  thinning  with 
naphtha. 

Filler  should  be  stirred  continually  when  being  ap¬ 
plied.  It  should  be  rubbed  crosswise  of  the  pores. 


FILLER  MUST 
BE  IN  HARMONY 
WITH  STAIN 


USE  OF  SILEX 
IN  FILLERS. 


120 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  FOOM 


PREPARATION 
OF  FILLERS. 


MINERAL 

TURPENTINE 

ECONOMICAL. 


When  filler  in  drying  settles  in  the  pores  it  is  an  indi¬ 
cation  it  has  been  thinned  too  much.  If  filler  lifts,  when 
wiping  off,  it  is  an  indication  that  not  sufficient  binder 
is  in  the  mixture.  In  that  case  the  addition  of  a  half 
pint  of  japan  to  the  gallon  of  filler  will  overcome  the 
difficulty.  In  the  preparation  of  filler  for  such  finishes 
as  Antwerp,  bog  oak,  Flemish,  Belgium,  Early  English, 
a  black  filler  only  is  employed.  This  requires  nothing 
more  than  drop  black,  ground  in  oil.  Drop  black  is 
much  superior  to  lampblack,  and  it  is  only  necessary 
to  use  quantity  required  to  give  the  silex  a  black  color. 

In  such  finishes  as  baronial,  cathedral,  Dutch  brown 
and  sixteenth  century,  the  fillers  are  usually  colored 
with  Van  Dyke  brown.  The  same  effects  can  be  pro¬ 
duced,  however,  by  using  burnt  umber  and  toning  it 
down  with  black,  or  black  and  an  orange,  but  the  most 
economical  that  we  have  is  a  Van  Dyke. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  majority  of  fillers  on 
the  oaks  are  made  with  black  or  brown,  the  only  differ¬ 
ence  being  that  the  strength  of  color  varies.  In  the 
greens,  chrome  green  is  employed.  In  the  case  of  forest 
green,  equal  parts  of  chrome  green  and  drop  black  are 
used,  and  in  some  cases  a  small  percentage  of  brown. 
In  the  olive  oak,  which  is  another  finish  that  is  used 
more  by  chair  manufacturers  and  fixture  concerns,  the 
green  is  produced  by  the  stain,  but  the  filler  is  black. 

In  general,  the  use  of  silex,  colored  to  match  the 
style  of  finish,  and  thinned  with  naphtha,  is  a  general 
procedure.  Where  large  quantities  of  filler  are  made 
and  used,  a  saving  can  be  made  by  the  employment  of 
mineral  turpentine,  which  costs  about  one-third  as 
much  as  regular  turpentine.  Where  this  is  employed 
it  is  well  to  use  about  four  ounces  of  cheap  rosin  var¬ 
nish  so  as  to  keep  up  the  binding  qualities  that  would 
be  had  where  boiled  oil  and  regular  turpentine  were 
employed. 

Silex  might  be  likened  to  powdered  glass.  Spread 
over  the  surface  and  into  the  pores  by  means  of  the 
liquid  vehicle,  which  has  just  sufficient  adhesiveness  to 
hold  the  filler  in  place,  there  can  be  no  shrinkage  in 
the  material.  When  the  work  is  cleaned  up,  the  excess 
moisture  removed  and  the  filler  thoroughly  dried,  it 


IMPORTANT  FUNCTION  OF  FILLER 


121 


holds  its  place  and  form,  and  the  subsequent  finish  re¬ 
mains  where  it  is  put. 

The  present  style  of  the  many  so-called  Mission 
finishes  calls  for  a  light  colored  filler,  especially  in  oaks, 
the  pores  of  which  have  been  extended  by  the  wood 
having  been  first  sponged,  sanded  and  the  pores  opened 
with  a  picking  brush.  The  effects  produced  by  giving 
the  fillers  various  shades  ranging  from  absolute  white 
through  all  the  grays,  greens  and  browns,  are  in  many 
cases  very  pleasing  to  the  eye.  The  gray  oaks  lend 
themselves  particularly  well  for  this  sort  of  treatment. 
These  finishes  are  known  under  many  different  names, 
but  are  usually  finished  in  waxes.  The  best  procedure 
is  to  use  a  strong  water  stain  which  will  give  the  color 
deep  enough  so  that  when  the  lighter  filler  is  used 
there  will  be  some  difference  between  the  stained  wood 
and  the  color  of  the  filler.  The  effect  is  striking;  a 
good  clean  job  will  not  permit  the  filler  to  be  smeared 
over  the  wood.  Where  an  absolute  white  filler  is  de¬ 
sired,  and  where  the  wax  is  to  be  the  finish,  it  is  well  to 
give  the  work  a  very  thin  coat  of  shellac,  and  then  mix 
carbonate  of  zinc,  known  to  the  trade  as  zinc  white, 
with  wax,  and  rub  it  across  the  pores  until  they  are 
thoroughly  filled.  Let  this  work  stand  for  24  hours, 
then  apply  second  coat  of  wax,  bringing  it  to  a  polish. 

Where  a  gray  filler  is  desired  this  same  procedure 
can  be  followed,  merely  coloring  the  white  with  dried 
drop  black. 

Filler  should  be  applied  only  after  the  wood  has 
been  thoroughly  prepared,  sandpapered,  cleaned  up 
and  dusted.  Emphasis  to  be  placed  upon  the  “cleaned 
up,”  which  means  that  no  finger  marks  from  previous 
handling  should  be  allowed  to  remain.  It  should  be 
dusted  so  that  all  the  fine  particles  arising  from  the 
sanding  are  removed  before  the  filler  is  applied. 

The  filler  should  be  of  the  consistency  of  a  varnish, 
applied  with  a  good  brush,  rubbed  well  into  the  grain 
and  pores  of  the  wood.  When  the  filler  is  fairly  well 
set,  which  is  when  it  begins  to  show  flat,  rub  it  into  the 
wood  with  a  pad,  always  rubbing  across  the  grain. 

For  spindles  and  long  turnings  have  a  long  strip 
of  leather  to  draw  back  and  forth  around  the  work. 


MISSION 
FINISHES 
DEMAND  LIGHT 
FILLERS. 


APPLY  FILLER 
AFTER  WOOD  IS 
“CLEANED  UP.” 


122 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


FINISHING 
SHOULD  BE 
DONE  ACROSS 
GRAIN. 


Fill  only  as  much  surface  at  a  time  as  you  can  wipe  off 
before  it  sets  too  hard  to  rub  off  without  rolling  up. 
Wipe  off  with  tow  or  excelsior  or  rags  all  the  filler  ex¬ 
cept  that  which  is  in  the  grain  or  pores,  and  be  care¬ 
ful  to  have  all  the  grain  and  pores  level,  full  of  the  filler, 
because  upon  that  feature  the  success  of  your  work 
depends.  All  rubbing  and  wiping  must  be  done  across 
the  grain.  Give  the  filler  all  the  time  to  dry  you  can, 
but  never  less  than  36  hours,  especially  when  the  grain 
is  rather  open.  When  dry  go  over  it  lightly  with  No.  0 
sandpaper  to  take  off  every  particle  of  filler  left  on  the 
surface.  The  cleaner  you  wipe  off  the  filler  the  cleaner 
the  finished  job  will  be. 

If  you  want  to  do  high  grade  work  it  is  well  to  ex¬ 
amine  the  filler  surface  with  a  magnifying  glass  to  see 
if  the  pores  are  well  filled  and  no  pinholes  visible.  If 
there  are  such  defects,  it  is  best  to  go  over  the  surface 
with  a  filler  a  second  time,  but  have  it  of  thinner  con¬ 
sistency  than  at  first,  and  repeat  the  operation  of  rub¬ 
bing,  wiping  off  and  sandpapering. 

An  exception  to  the  general  rule  of  filling,  and  it 
might  be  said  of  staining,  is  that  of  the  production  of 
golden  oak,  as  employed  by  many  of  the  larger  furni¬ 
ture  factories,  showcase  and  school  equipment  com¬ 
panies.  The  stain  is  produced  by  the  use  of  asphaltum 
varnish,  augmented  by  the  addition  of  oil  soluble  black 
and  yellow  as  will  be  found  in  the  chapter  on  Stain 
Formulas. 

This  stain  is  spread  over  the  sanded  and  dusted 
work  in  such  an  amount  as  to  leave  an  almost  black- 
brown  coating,  which  is  permitted  to  set  from  15  to  30 
minutes,  according  to  the  amount  of  drier  that  the 
stain  contains.  It  should  not  be  permitted  to  dry,  but 
just  before  it  sets  a  natural  filler,  that  is,  a  plain  un¬ 
colored  silex  filler,  is  worked  across  the  grain  of  the 
wood.  It  gradually  lifts  the  excess  stain  and  gradually 
with  the  filler  is  worked  into  the  pores.  This  process 
is  continued  until  the  filler  is  about  to  set.  When  it  is 
cleaned  off  the  filler  is  colored,  the  pores  and  grain  are 
thoroughly  filled,  and  golden  oak  is  stained  and  filled 
with  an  oil  stain  with  this  procedure. 

After  the  cleaning  process  is  accomplished  a  thin 


IMPORTANT  FUNCTION  OF  FILLER 


123 


coat  of  shellac  is  applied,  and  the  finishing  coats  are 
given. 

Bent  wood,  such  as  chair  backs,  seats,  etc.,  which 
have  been  subjected  to  the  steaming  process,  may  give 
trouble  which  would  manifest  itself  in  the  filler  coat. 
This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  wood  treated  in  this  manner, 
when  not  properly  stored,  is  apt  to  re-absorb  moisture, 
and,  after  the  filler  is  applied,  permit  a  settling  of  this 
filler,  through  the  fact  that  as  the  moisture  leaves  the 
work  the  filler  follows  down  into  the  wood. 

When  difficulty  like  this  manifests  itself  the  first 
thing  to  do  is  to  look  up  the  history  of  the  stock,  and 
the  condition  in  which  it  is  received.  Take  a  suspected 
sample,  see  that  it  is  thoroughly  dry,  and  put  it  through 
the  regular  process.  This  will  prove  whether  or  not 
moisture  has  caused  the  difficulty  with  the  filler. 

The  universal  method  for  finishing  cedar  chests 
does  not  call  for  a  filler.  But  there  seems  to  be  a  de¬ 
mand  for  a  filler  that  will  take  care  of  the  rough  spots 
in  the  knotty  portions  of  the  wood.  The  desire  prin¬ 
cipally  is  to  get  one  that  will  harmonize  with  the  shade. 
For  this  purpose  Van  Dyke  brown  and  rose  pink  will 
give  the  best  colors  with  which  to  color  the  natural 
filler.  Where  bits  of  wood  have  been  pulled  out  by 
rough  planing,  colored  shellac  serves  nicely,  and  if  the 
depressions  or  holes  are  large  enough  to  warrant  the 
use  of  shellac  sticks,  it  is  preferred  to  melt  the  shellac 
into  the  crevices.  Another  method  would  be  to  work 
into  the  rough  spot  a  colored  shellac,  colored  with  Bis- 
mark  brown,  giving  the  work  repeated  coats  until  a 
smooth  surface  is  obtained.  Then  sand  this  to  the  even¬ 
ness  of  the  regular  work  in  the  following  manner: 

Cut  down  the  shellac  with  a  No.  0  sandpaper  and 
finish  up  by  using  a  No.  00  sandpaper  which  has  been 
dipped  into  light  rubbing  oil.  This  will  not  disturb  the 
underlying  depressions,  and  will  give  a  toughness  to 
the  shellac  used  as  a  filler,  which  will  keep  it  in  its  place, 
and  leave  it  ready  for  the  general  finishing  coat. 

The  following  list  will  give  the  artisan  a  good  idea 
of  the  colors  necessary  to  obtain  certain  shades,  espe- 
ciaffv  in  producing  tints  in  the  fillers.  Undoubtedly 
the  list  given  will  be  of  additional  value  to  the  informa- 


BENT  WOOD 
GIVES  SOME 
TROUBLE  IN 
FINISHING. 


USING  SHELLAC 
TO  FILL  HOLES 
IN  FINISHING. 


124 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


COMBINATIONS 
PRODUCE  CER¬ 
TAIN  SHADES. 


tion  already  given  with  each  formula,  in  which  also  is 
mentioned  the  filler.  Produce  the  color  first  and  then 
with  it  tint  the  filler.  It  is  best  to  obtain  colors  ground 
in  oil  or  japan.  Mix  these  and  stir  into  the  filler.  In 
case  the  dry  silex  is  used  in  producing  the  filler  it  may 
be  well  to  use  dry  colors.  Stir  them  thoroughly  into  the 
silex  and  add  to  it  the  japan,  boiled  oil  and  thinner,  as 
given  elsewhere: 


Combinations  of  Products 

Red  and  black . Brown 

Lake  and  white . Rose 

White  and  brown . Chestnut 

White,  blue  and  lake . Purple 

Blue  and  lead  color . . . Pearl 

White  and  carmine . Pink 

Indigo  and  lampblack . Silver  Gray 

White  and  lampblack . Lead  color 

Black  and  Venetian  red  . Chocolate 

White  and  green . Bright  green 

Purple  and  white . French  white 

Light  and  dark  green . Dark  green 

White  and  green.... . Pea  green 

White  and  emerald  green . Brilliant  green 

Red  and  yellow . Orange 

White  and  yellow . Straw  color 

White,  blue  and  black . Pearl  gray 

White,  lake  and  Vermillion . .  ..Flesh  color 

Umber,  white  and  Venetian  red . Drab 

White,  yellow  and  Venetian  red . Cream 

Red,  blue  and  black . Olive 


Yellow,  white  and  a  little  Venetian  red . Buff 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


THE  MAKING  AND  USING  OF  FILLER. 


THAT  which  is  known  as  filler  in  the  finishing 
room  is  a  paste  used  for  the  purpose  of  filling 
the  pores  of  the  wood  to  be  finished.  The  object 
of  filling  these  pores  is  to  prevent  the  varnish  sinking 
away  and  enable  it  to  flow  out  smooth  and  make  an 
even  surface.  Fillers  are  made  in  various  ways,  of 
various  ingredients  to  suit  the  different  kinds  of  wood 
on  which  they  may  be  used.  But  there  are  three  in¬ 
gredients  which  enter  into  all  fillers  and  which  form 
the  base  for  all  the  others.  These  three  ingredients 
are :  Pigment,  oil  and  drier.  The  best  known  pigment 
for  filler  today  is  ground  silex. 

There  are  various  other  pigments  in  use,  such  as 
silica,  silver  white,  and  I  have  knov/n  good  filler  to  be 
made  with  wheat  flour  and  cornstarch  as  a  pigment. 
It  has  been  contended  in  some  quarters  that  wheat  flour 
and  cornstarch,  being  vegetable  products,  are  liable  to 
decompose  in  the  pores  and  thus  destroy  the  finish.  But 
I  do  not  believe  that  contention  to  be  well  founded.  The 
wood  itself  is  a  vegetable  product  and  the  oil  that  binds 
the  pigment  together  is  of  the  same  origin.  Why 
should  one  be  more  liable  to  decomposition  than  the 
other,  especially  as  the  pigment  is  protected  by  being 
surrounded  by  the  oil?  I  have  seen  goods  that  were 
filled  over  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago  with  a  flour-corn¬ 
starch  filler  today  showing  no  signs  of  decay  in  the 
filler. 

For  oak  filler  silica  makes  a  good  pigment  and  it  is 
economical.  It  is  much  less  expensive  than  silex  and 
considerably  lighter  in  weight. 

For  walnut  and  mahogany  woods  that  are  somewhat 
easily  clouded,  pure  ground  silex  should  be  used  as  a 
pigment  for  the  filler  because  it  is  more  transparent, 
and,  therefore,  less  liable  to  leave  the  slightest  sign  of  a 
cloud.  Silex  is  offered  in  various  degrees  of  fineness, 
but  the  finer  it  is  the  better.  It  not  only  is  more  trans- 


INGREDIENTS 
FOR  FILLERS 
ARE  THREE. 


FILLER  IS 
DETERMINED 
BY  WOOD. 


126 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


OIL  BINDS 

PIGMENT 

SOLIDLY. 


BROWN  JAPAN 
BEST  DRIER 
FOR  FILLER. 


parent  when  fine,  but  it  is  easier  to  use  and  does  its 
work  better. 

Oil  is  the  ingredient  that  binds  the  fine  particles  of 
pigment  together  so  that  when  dry  they  form  a  solid 
substance.  Boiled  linseed  oil  is  usually  the  kind  used 
for  this  purpose,  although  raw  linseed  oil  may  be  used 
with  good  results.  A  considerable  quantity  of  linseed 
oil  on  the  market  today  is  adulterated,  and  care  should 
be  taken  to  see  that  only  pure  linseed  oil  is  used.  These 
adulterated  oils  contain  quantities  of  fish  oil  or  some 
sort  of  mineral  oil.  These  adulterants  prevent  proper 
hardening  of  the  linseed  oil  and  the  drying  of  the  filler, 
and  unless  the  filler,  which  is  the  foundation  of  the  fin¬ 
ish,  dries  and  hardens  thoroughly,  a  high  class  durable 
finish  cannot  be  expected.  Recently  I  was  shown  an  in¬ 
side  door  which  was  painted  ten  years  ago  with  a  paint 
mixed  in  adulterated  oil,  and  it  is  not  yet  dry.  In  warm, 
humid  weather  the  best  that  can  be  said  of  it  is  that  it 
is  dust  proof.  Varnish  cannot  harden  on  such  a  founda¬ 
tion,  and  if  it  is  polished  it  will  lose  its  brilliancy  in  a 
few  days. 

The  third  ingredient  of  which  we  spoke  is  some 
form  of  drier.  Linseed  oil  will  dry  of  itself,  but  it  is 
too  slow.  Brown  japan  is  the  most  popular  form  of 
drier  for  filler.  It  also  helps  the  oil  to  bind  the  par¬ 
ticles  of  pigment  together.  But  filler  in  which  japan 
is  used  ought  not  to  be  made  very  far  in  advance  of  the 
time  it  is  used.  All  filler  should  be  made  at  least  24 
hours  before  being  used,  but  if  it  is  allowed  to  become 
old  and  stale  it  works  sticky  and  hard,  and  will  not  fill 
the  pores  properly.  If  I  were  asked  to  set  a  time  limit 
in  which  filler  is  at  its  best  I  would  say  between  24 
hours  and  10  days  after  it  has  been  made.  This  is  one 
of  the  advantages  of  the  finisher  being  able  to  make  his 
own  filler — he  can  always  have  it  in  the  best  condition. 
The  argument  is  advanced  frequently  that  the  finisher 
cannot  successfully  make  his  own  filler  because  he  has 
not  the  powerful  machinery  for  grinding  and  mixing 
the  ingredients.  He  does  not  need  it.  No  matter  who 
makes  the  filler,  or  where  it  is  made,  the  pigment  is 
ground  and  the  oil  extracted  before  the  process  of 
making  filler  commences.  These  are  occupations  by 


THE  MAKING  AND  USING  OF  FILLER 


127 


themselves,  separate  and  distinct  from  filler  making. 
In  addition  to  the  proper  ingredients,  the  only  require¬ 
ments  for  filler  making  are  a  tub,  a  pair  of  hands  and 
the  “know  how.”  If  a  finishing  room  were  using  filler 
by  the  ton  it  might  be  well  to  use  a  power  mixer 
capable  of  handling  it  in  such  quantities.  But  the 
quantity  used  in  the  great  majority  of  factories  can  be 
mixed  readily  by  hand. 

I  have  heard  it  said  that  a  filler  cannot  do  its  work 
well  and  work  easy.  I  wish  to  hit  that  right  on  the 
head,  and  say  that  a  filler  cannot  do  its  work  well  un¬ 
less  it  does  work  easy.  Filler  that  is  stiff  and  hard  is 
certain  to  pull  out  of  the  pores  when  being  cleaned  off ; 
while  filler  that  will  clean  off  easy,  if  otherwise  prop¬ 
erly  prepared,  will  cut  off  level  with  the  top  of  the  pore, 
leaving  it  full.  The  proper  kind  of  a  filler  is  one  that 
may  be  cleaned  off  easily  between  20  minutes  and  three 
hours  after  it  is  applied  to  the  wood,  and  will  dry  in  24 
hours  and  thoroughly  harden  in  48  hours. 

In  addition  to  the  pigment,  oil  and  drier  which 
form  the  base  of  all  fillers,  there  are  other  ingredients 
added  to  meet  the  color  requirements  of  the  different 
woods  and  finishes,  except  when  a  colorless  filler  is  de¬ 
sired,  as  these  other  ingredients  are  added  for  color 
purposes. 

To  make  a  white  filler,  which  may  be  used  by  itself 
where  a  colorless  filler  is  required,  and  which  may  be 
regarded  as  the  base  of  all  the  colored  fillers,  we  will 
give  the  system  which  we  have  followed  for  years  with 
entire  satisfaction,  and  which  is  the  result  of  many 
years’  careful  observation  and  experiment : 

12  parts  pure  boiled  linseed  oil. 

6  parts  brown  japan. 

1  part  pure  turpentine. 

Mix  the  above  thoroughly,  then  add  a  sufficient 
amount  of  silex,  or  whatever  pigment  is  to  be  used,  to 
make  a  stiff  dough.  Allow  this  to  stand  for  24  hours, 
then  reduce  such  quantity  as  may  be  needed  for  imme¬ 
diate  use  with  benzine  to  the  consistency  required  for 
the  wood  on  which  it  is  to  be  used. 

In  the  above  formula  the  turpentine  is  added  to 
assist  in  the  more  complete  assimilation  of  the  oil  and 


"know  how" 

NECESSARY  IN 
FILLER  MAKING. 


IDEAL  WHITE 
FILLER. 


) 


128 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


CARE  NEEDED 
TO  KEEP 
PIGMENT 
UNIFORM. 


REDUCING 
PASTE  FILLER 
TO  A  LIQUID. 


japan,  and  prevent  the  disintegrating  effect  which  the 
benzine  would  otherwise  have  upon  the  japan. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  I  have  not  given  the  quantity 
of  pigment  in  weight.  This  cannot  be  done  to  advan¬ 
tage  because  the  ratio  of  weight  to  measure  or  absorb¬ 
ing  quality  is  not  the  same  with  the  different  pigments. 
But  no  matter  what  the  weight  of  the  pigment,  a  suf¬ 
ficient  quantity  will  be  required  to  make  a  stiff  dough. 
In  order  to  insure  uniformity  a  good  plan  would  be  to 
weigh  the  pigment  put  in  the  first  batch  of  filler,  and  if 
the  filler  works  well  put  the  same  weight  in  all  subse¬ 
quent  lots.  Be  careful  to  measure  the  liquids  accurately 
because  on  this  will  depend  largely  your  success  as  a 
filler  maker. 

In  coloring  filler,  if  dry  colors  are  used  they  will 
displace  an  equal  quantity  of  the  other  pigment,  so  that 
a  smaller  quantity  of  the  latter  will  be  required  than 
would  be  the  case  with  white  filler.  If  the  colors  used 
are  ground  in  oil  or  japan,  then  the  oil  or  japan,  as  the 
case  may  be,  will  displace  an  equal  amount  of  its  kind  in 
the  original  formula,  and  provision  should  be  made  to 
meet  this. 

Occasionally  a  combination  stain  and  filler  is  re¬ 
quired  for  cheap  goods,  such  as  elm  and  ash,  and  one 
that  will  not  require  cleaning  off.  For  this  purpose  re¬ 
duce  asphaltum  with  turpentine  to  the  desired  depth  of 
color  and  mix  into  each  gallon  of  the  stain  about  two 
pounds  of  colorless  paste  filler.  The  paste  filler  for  this 
purpose  should  be  made  of  finely  ground  silex  to  insure 
transparency.  After  this  stain  is  dry,  if  a  coat  of  pig¬ 
ment  surfaeer  is  applied  the  pores  will  be  filled  per¬ 
fectly,  and  the  whole  will  be  ready  for  sanding  and  var¬ 
nishing. 

To  reduce  paste  filler  to  the  liquid  state  quickly, 
place  the  desired  quantity  of  paste  in  the  vessel  in 
which  it  is  to  be  used  and  pour  on  but  a  small  quantity 
of  benzine.  Mix  this  together  thoroughly,  then  add 
more  benzine.  It  can  be  reduced  to  the  required  con¬ 
sistency  much  quicker  this  way  than  can  be  done  if  the 
full  quantity  of  benzine  is  put  on  at  the  start. 

The  consistency  to  which  filler  should  be  reduced 
must  be  regulated  by  the  porous  nature  of  the  wood  on 


THE  MAKING  AND  USING  OF  FILLER 


129 


which  it  is  to  be  used,  but  in  any  event  it  should  be 
reduced  to  a  state  in  which  it  will  work  freely  under 
the  brush.  Filler  should  be  put  on  with  a  medium  stiff 
brush,  giving  plenty  of  brushing  to  work  it  well  into 
the  pores.  The  pores  of  the  wood  are  full  of  air  which 
will  prevent  the  filler  going  to  the  bottom  and  getting 
a  firm  hold  unless  it  is  well  brushed.  Evidence  of  this 
neglect  will  be  found  in  the  shape  of  “pinholes”  after 
the  goods  get  a  coat  of  varnish.  Very  thin  filler,  or 
cleaning  the  filler  off  while  it  is  wet,  will  result  in 
pinholes. 

Too  frequently  it  happens  that  the  edges  of  tops  and 
other  narrow  but  prominent  parts  of  the  goods  are  not 
filled  as  well  as  the  larger  surfaces.  This  is  largely  be¬ 
cause  these  edges  are  usually  perpendicular,  and  be¬ 
cause  it  is  more  difficult  to  put  a  heavy  coat  of  filler  on 
a  small  surface  than  to  put  it  on  a  large  one.  The  way 
to  overcome  this  difficulty  is  to  put  two  or  more  coats 
on  these  places,  allowing  each  coat  to  dry  until  it  be¬ 
comes  “flat” ;  then  put  the  next  coat  on  top  of  it. 

Much  depends  on  the  way  filler  is  cleaned  off.  This 
should  be  done  in  such  a  way  that  the  filler  in  the  pore 
is  disturbed  as  little  as  possible.  The  best  thing  to  use 
for  cleaning  off  filler  is  the  hair-like  moss  used  for  up¬ 
holstering.  Of  late  years  this  has  become  too  expensive 
to  use  for  this  purpose,  consequently  many  other 
things  have  been  tried  in  its  place.  Some  shops  use 
shavings,  excelsior,  burlap  and  anything  that  will  re¬ 
move  this  surplus  filler,  and  yet  not  be  expensive.  We 
have  tried  all  these  things,  and  some  others,  and  have 
found  that  sea  grass,  or  sea  moss,  as  it  is  sometimes 
called,  is  superior  to  any  of  them,  and  it  has  the  addi¬ 
tional  advantage  of  being  inexpensive. 

To  remove  filler  take  a  handful  of  the  grass  and 
shake  it  up  well  to  remove  any  hard,  foreign  substances, 
then  with  it  rub  the  article  across  the  grain.  One  is 
less  liable  to  disturb  the  filler  in  the  pores  by  cleaning 
off  across  the  grain.  After  as  much  of  the  filler  has 
been  removed  as  possible  with  this  grass,  the  balance 
may  be  cleaned  off  thoroughly  by  wiping  with  a  cotton 
cloth.  Sterilized  cotton  rags  are  used  generally  for 
this  purpose.  Avoid  rags  that  leave  lint  on  the  work. 


CONSISTENCY 
OF  FILLER  IS 
REGULATED  BY 
NATURE  OF 
WOOD. 


HOW  TO  CLEAN 
OFF  FILLER. 


130 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


FILLING  WAS 

FORMERLY 

EXPENSIVE. 


IMPORTANT  TO 
KEEP  FILLER 
STIRRED. 


Rosewood  is  one  of  the  most  difficult  woods  to  fill 
with  the  ordinary  wood  filler.  The  oil  in  this  wood  will 
eat  its  way  up  through  the  filler  and  injure  the  finish 
unless  something  is  done  to  prevent  it.  In  the  early 
history  of  what  might  be  called  our  modern  system  of 
finishing,  the  filling  of  this  beautiful  wood  was  a  long 
and  costly  process.  Coat  after  coat  of  shellac  was  ap¬ 
plied  and  then  sanded  down  to  the  wood  or  scraped  off 
until  the  pores  were  filled  to  a  level  with  the  surface. 
Shellac  seemed  to  be  the  only  thing  that  would  keep  in 
check  the  oil  in  this  wood.  But  these  several  coats  of 
shellac  are  not  now  necessary.  Put  on  one  good  heavy 
coat  of  bleached  shellac  reduced  at  the  rate  of  one  and 
one-half  pounds  of  gum  to  a  gallon  of  spirits,  using 
methylated  spirits  or  grain  alcohol  as  the  solvent. 
Brush  this  well  so  that  it  will  reach  as  deep  as  possible 
into  the  pores.  This  will  seal  up  the  fine  pores  through 
which  the  oil  would  ooze  and  hold  it  in  check.  After 
this  is  dry,  the  wood  may  be  filled  in  the  usual  way.  Do 
not  sand  the  shellac  before  filling  and  do  not  have  more 
oil  in  the  filler  than  is  absolutely  necessary. 

When  using  filler,  no  matter  on  what  kind  of  wood 
it  is  being  used,  keep  it  well  stirred.  Too  much  stress 
cannot  be  placed  on  the  importance  of  this.  If  this  is 
not  done,  the  first  part  of  the  filler  used  will  contain  too 
much  oil,  and  the  latter  part  not  enough  because  the 
pigment  has  been  allowed  to  settle  at  the  bottom.  If  the 
top  part  of  such  filler  were  used  on  rosewood,  the  con¬ 
sequence  might  be  disastrous  to  the  finish,  while  if  the 
bottom  were  used  on  mahogany  it  certainly  would  be 
so,  because  in  the  latter  case  the  filler,  deprived  of  the 
oil,  would  turn  gray  in  the  pores,  and  give  the  whole 
work  a  grayish,  clouded  cast. 

In  the  case  of  mahogany,  if  these  conditions  have  all 
been  complied  with,  and  the  pores  still  show  a  grayish 
cast,  one  must  look  either  to  the  original  filler,  or  to  the 
method  of  preparing  the  wood  to  receive  the  filler  in 
order  to  get  at  the  cause.  The  filler,  which  is  just  right 
for  mahogany  that  has  had  a  coat  of  thin  shellac  before 
filling,  is  not  suitable  for  mahogany  that  has  not  had 
that  shellac,  because  it  does  not  contain  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  oil  for  the  latter.  This  thin  coat  of  shellac 


THE  MAKING  AND  USING  OF  FILLER 


131 


seals  up  the  fine  pores  in  the  fibers  of  the  wood  and 
prevents  them  from  extracting  the  oil  from  the  filler 
and  imbibing  it.  This  leaves  the  oil  with  the  pigment 
and  preserves  the  translucency  of  the  filler,  which, 
when  dry,  retains  the  color  of  the  liquid  state. 

When  filler  is  applied  to  mahogany  that  has  not 
been  coated  with  shellac  the  oil  is  drawn  away  from  the 
pigment  into  the  fibers  of  the  wood  by  the  force  of 
capillary  attraction  and  the  pigment,  deprived  of  this 
protection,  becomes  opaque  and  shows  gray  beside  the 
brown  mahogany.  To  counteract  this,  it  is  necessary 
that  filler  used  on  bare  wood  contain  a  slightly  larger 
percentage  of  oil  than  that  which  is  used  on  a  shellaced 
surface. 

I  have  met  finishers  who  were  of  the  opinion  that 
birch-stained  mahogany  does  not  require  to  be  filled. 
But  birch  mahogany  can  be  finished  much  more  cheaply 
if  it  is  filled.  When  not  filled,  the  extra  varnish  and 
rubbing  required  to  produce  the  desired  results  is  much 
more  expensive  than  the  filling  would  be. 


SHELLAC  AIDS 
TO  PRESERVE 
TRANSLUCENCY 
OF  FILLER. 


CHAPTER  XX. 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  A  FUMING  ROOM. 

WITH  fumed  oak,  as  much  in  vogue  as  it  is  at  the 
present  time,  it  is  almost  necessary  that  some¬ 
thing  in  the  way  of  a  fuming  room  or  fuming 
box  be  supplied.  I  shall  endeavor  to  describe  three  types 
of  this  sort  of  equipment,  supplementing  it  with  some 
description  of  the  process. 

The  size  of  a  fuming  box  must  be  left  to  the  manu¬ 
facturer  and  be  built  according  to  his  needs.  After  the 
size  of  the  box  has  been  determined  upon,  the  following 
methods,  if  followed,  will  produce  a  strictly  up-to-date 
fuming  box. 

Select  a  place  in  the  factory  which  is  easily  accessi¬ 
ble  to  daylight,  blow-pipes  and  steam.  After  setting 
up  the  framework  of  the  size  which  has  been  decided 
upon  for  the  box,  inclose  it  with  matched  flooring,  giv¬ 
ing  each  groove  or  tongue  a  coat  of  thick 
paint  and  driving  the  joints  well  to¬ 
gether.  On  the  sides  make  the  sash  for 
the  glass  as  indicated  in  Fig.  1.  Be  care¬ 
ful  that  the  glass,  when  put  into  the 
sash,  is  either  set  in  soft  putty  or  lead  in 
oil.  The  reason  for  this  is  to  make 
everything  air-tight.  The  door  should 
be  sectional  so  that  it  can  be  opened  for 
the  various  sizes  of  furniture,  as  it  is 
often  the  case  that  after  a  first  batch  has 
been  fumed,  another  batch  of  furniture 
can  be  quickly  put  in  this  box  without 
exhausting  the  ammonia  gas.  The  doors 
should  be  made  with  L  joints  and  these 
joints  fitted  with  felt.  The  doors  are  then  locked  with 
a  friction  lock  much  like  those  that  are  used  on  an  ice 
box.  In  a  corner,  convenient  and  accessible,  a  series  of 
shelves  should  be  provided,  the  upper  one  a  distance 
from  the  ceiling  so  that  it  will  carry  a  five-gallon  gal¬ 
vanized  iron  can.  This  can  should  be  fitted  with  a 


TWO  TYPES  OF 
FUMING  ROX. 


DOOR  SHOULD 
BE  SECTIONAL. 


134 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


THE  FRONT. 


THE  SIDE. 

TWO  VIEWS  OF  FUMING  ROOM  BUILT  AFTER  PLANS  DE¬ 
SCRIBED  IN  FOLLOWING  CHAPTER. 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  A  FUMING  ROOM 


135 


faucet.  The  successive  shelves  should  be  supplied  with 
half-inch  deep  pans,  placed  in  such  a  position  that 
when  the  first  is  filled  with  ammonia  water  it  will  over¬ 
flow  into  the  second  and  so  on  down  until  the  last  pan 
empties  into  usually  a  five  or  ten  gallon  earthen  jar. 

A  steam  coil  placed  in  the  jar  will  greatly  facilitate 
the  evaporation  of  the  ammonia  or,  more  correctly 
stated,  the  liberating  of  the  ammonia  from  the  water, 
and  work  an  economy  by  reducing  the  amount  of  am¬ 
monia  required.  Right  here  is  where  caution  must  be 
exercised.  First,  the  steam  coil  must  be  placed  in  a  jar 
which  is  at  least  twice  as  large  as  the  can.  The  steam 
coil  takes  up  less  than  half  of  the  space  in  the  jar.  This 
coil  must  then  be  covered  with  water  and  the  steam 
should  not  be  turned  on  until  the  ammonia  water  be¬ 
gins  to  drip  from  the  last  pan  into  the  jar,  for  if  the  coil 
is  not  covered  with  water,  the  drippings  will  come  down 
in  such  small  quantities  that  they  immediately  will  be 
evaporated  and  cause  excessive  moisture  in  the  fuming 
box.  Again,  the  steam  must  not  be  supplied  to  the  coil 
in  too  great  a  quantity  and  thus  create  too  much  heat. 
It  must  be  kept  under  control  and  the  water  main¬ 
tained  just  below  the  boiling  point.  This  can  all  be 
done  by  watching  the  process  through  the  window.  The 
question  has  been  asked  often  whether  the  ammonia 
can  be  turned  on  before  the  doors  are  closed.  Of  course 
this  is  the  only  way  it  can  be  turned  on.  But  it  might 
be  well  to  turn  on  the  ammonia  and  allow  the  gas,  in  a 
measure,  to  replace  the  air  before  the  doors  are  closed 
tightly. 

Recently  there  appeared  an  article  giving  the  de¬ 
tails  for  constructing  a  fuming  box,  which  is  very 
good.  Some  points  brought  out  are  recommended,  but 
the  basic  principle  of  the  box  as  given  in  this  chapter 
has  not  been  changed  sufficiently  to  make  it  necessary 
to  incorporate  any  of  the  ideas  here.  One  exception, 
however,  should  be  noticed,  because  of  the  fact  that  the 
use  of  a  steam  coil  and  tank  is  useless  and  might  lead 
to  a  doubt  in  the  minds  of  those  who  wish  to  construct 
a  fuming  box.  Therefore,  it  is  necessary  to  say  that  the 
coil  and  jar  are  not  placed  in  the  fuming  box  to  create 
any  unnecessary  moisture,  which,  according  to  the  arti- 


HOW  AMMONIA 
WATER  IS 
LIBERATED. 


FUMING  BOX 
CRITICIZED. 


136 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


TWO  VIEWS  OF  THE  INTERIOR  OF  ONE  FUMING  ROOM  BUILT 
AFTER  THE  PLAN  DESCRIBED  IN  THIS  CHAPTER. 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  A  FUMING  ROOM 


137 


cle  referred  to,  is  employed  to  soften  the  wood.  On  the 
contrary,  it  is  merely  used  to  facilitate  more  liberation 
of  the  ammonia  gas. 

To  repeat:  The  ammonia  dripping  down  slowly 
from  pan  to  pan,  finally  reaches  the  jar.  There  must  be 
a  jar  there  to  receive  the  ammonia  water  as  it  runs 
from  the  tank  over  the  several  trays  to  this  receptacle, 


which,  if  it  is  fitted  with  a  steam  coil,  will  heat  the 
water  present  and  thus  help  to  liberate  the  ammonia 
gas.  Particular  attention  is  drawn  by  the  writer  to  the 
fact  that  the  steam  coil  must  be  covered  with  water  so 
that  the  ammonia  water  when  dropping  down  will  not 
come  in  immediate  contact  with  a  hot  steam  coil  and 
thus  create  steam.  The  entire  idea  is  to  avoid  the 
steaming  of  the  water  and  merely  to  raise  the  tempera¬ 
ture  of  the  water  present  in  the  tank  so  that  the  am¬ 
monia  will  be  given  off  more  readily.  At  the  same  time 
this  steam  coil  acts  as  a  source  of  heat,  which  heat  is 


AMMONIA 
WATER  MUST 
NOT  TOUCH 
STEAM  PIPE. 


138 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


FUMING 
EXPEDITED  BY 
USE  OF  TAN 
BARK  EXTRACT. 


greatly  desired,  especially  in  the  winter  months,  for 
raising  the  temperature  inside  the  fuming  box,  because 
a  warm  gas  will  fume  quicker  than  cold.  Again,  when 
the  temperature  is  the  same  in  the  fuming  box  as  on 
the  outside,  there  is  less  condensation. 

The  writer  referred  to  recommends  a  trade  article 
under  the  name  of  Fumine.  It  happens  that  the  writer 


of  this  book  originated  the  name  of  Fumine  and  made 
the  original  product  put  on  the  market  under  that 
name.  This  was  nothing  more  than  tan  bark  extract.  It 
was  found  at  that  time  that  by  the  addition  of  tan  bark 
extract  fuming  would  take  less  time  than  when  the 
wood  was  put  in  the  fuming  box  in  its  natural  state. 
Later  it  was  found  that  tan  bark  extract  was  nothing 
more  than  a  vehicle  for  tannin.  Therefore,  the  use  of 
Fumine,  while  recommended  and  doing  the  work,  and 
while  it  covers  all  the  virtues  of  tannin,  resolves  itself 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  A  FUMING  ROOM 


139 


down  to  the  use  of  tannic  and  pyrogallic  acids.  In  cov¬ 
ering  a  method  for  producing  fumed  oak  it  must  be 
taken  into  consideration  that  sometimes  some  of  the 
materials  are  not  as  easily  obtained  as  others,  and, 
therefore,  the  various  products  that  can  be  used  are 
given,  but  the  one  producing  the  best  results  is  recom¬ 
mended. 

For  those  who  do  not  wish  to  supply  their  fuming 


chamber  with  windows  the  arrangement  of  an  opening, 
called  a  testing  box,  is  recommended.  A  sliding  door 
of  a  size  varying  according  to  one’s  ideas,  say  10x12 
to  10x20  inches,  is  made  and  back  of  it  a  box  is  placed 
which  again  is  fitted  with  a  sliding  door.  When  the 
fuming  chamber  is  charged  with  gas  the  inner  door  is 
opened  and  the  outer  one  is  closed.  This  outer  door  can 
be  made  of  glass,  and  the  process  can  be  watched. 
When  you  desire  to  examine  results,  close  inner  door, 
take  out  piece  and  test  by  giving  it  a  bit  of  oil,  rubbing 
and  shellacing  it.  If  desired  depth  is  not  shown,  replace. 


USE  OF  TEST 
BOX  IS 

RECOMMENDED. 


140 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  A  FUMING  ROOM 


141 


SHOWING  SLIDING  DOOR  FOR  TESTING. 


142 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


COLOR  OF 
WOOD  VARIED 
BY  STRENGTH 
OF  TAN  BARK. 


HOW  TO  OBTAIN 
AMMONIA. 


The  entire  interior  of  this  chamber  should  be 
painted  with  the  same  care  that  you  would  paint  a  boat, 
and  all  crevices  closed.  In  mentioning  the  size,  it 
should  be  stated  that  it  is  not  wise  to  build  it  any  higher 
than  required  for  the  tallest  piece  of  furniture.  It  costs 
money  to  fill  the  surplus  space  with  gas.  On  the  sides 
of  the  chamber,  provide  fastenings  so  that  the  pieces 
can  be  piled  up  to  the  ceiling  without  resting  upon  each 
other,  much  as  the  bed  slats  were  arranged  in  an  old- 
fashioned  bed.  In  this  way  all  the  available  space  can 
be  used.  A  box  constructed  in  accordance  with  these 
directions  will  bring  out  results  in  the  shortest  possible 
space  of  time. 

These  results  can  be  greatly  augmented  and  the 
time  reduced,  when  it  is  necessary,  by  coating  the  work 
with  tanned  bark  extract,  about  one  part  to  ten  of 
water.  The  result,  or  rather  color  of  the  wood,  can  be 
varied  by  varying  the  strength  of  the  application  of 
this  tanned  bark  extract.  It  is  possible  to  turn  out  a 
thoroughly  fumed  batch  in  six  hours  by  use  of  this  ex¬ 
tract.  The  question,  of  course,  then  is,  which  is  the 
cheaper:  to  run  the  fuming  box  two  or  three  times  as 
long,  or  to  coat  the  wood  with  an  extract  solution?  It 
is  a  fact  that  a  much  deeper  effect  or  color  can  be  made 
when  the  extract  has  been  applied. 

Various  ways  have  been  tried  for  obtaining  am¬ 
monia  (which  is  a  crystalline  salt)  ;  by  placing  it  on  tin 
pans  under  Bun¬ 
sen  burners ;  by 
mixing  carbonate 
of  ammonia  with 
unslacked  lime 
and  then  moisten¬ 
ing  with  water, 
etc. ;  by  using  the 
anhydrous  am- 
monia,  and,  last¬ 
ly,  by  employing 
aqua  ammonia  or 
water  of  ammonia.  Anhydrous  ammonia  is  the  gas 
which  has  been  liquified  by  compression  and  will  ex¬ 
pand  into  gas  again  as  soon  as  the  pressure  is  released. 


SHOWING  JOINTS  FILLED  WITH  FELT. 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  A  FUMING  ROOM 


143 


A  cylinder  of  100  pounds  contains  100  per  cent  of 
absolute  ammonia  and  requires  more  careful  attention 

than  aqua  ammo¬ 
nia,  which  is  a 
distilled  water 
that  has  absorbed 
a  large  volume  of 
ammonia  gas  by 
its  own  affinity 
and  not  under 
pressure.  The 
ammonia  in  the 
aqua  ammonia 
can  be  driven  off 
easily  by  heat  un- 

'  jar  filled  with  coils.  til  nothing  but 

the  pure  water 

remains,  and  this  can  be  done  by  the  steam  coil  ar¬ 
rangement  and  the  agitation  afforded  by  the  dripping 
from  pan  to  pan. 

A  number  of  furniture  factories  at  Rockford,  Ill., 
have  installed  fuming  boxes  which  exhibit  several  in¬ 
genious  and  interesting  features. 

The  room  shown  in  the  accompanying  plan  is  that 
in  the  factory  of  the  Union  Furniture  Company,  of 
which  P.  A.  Peterson  is  president.  It  is  10  feet  square, 
eight  feet  high,  and  is  located  on  the  top  floor  of  the 
building  against  one  of  the  exterior  walls.  This  loca¬ 
tion  was  determined  in  order  to  secure  ventilation 
through  the  roof  and  into  the  fuming  box  through  a 
window  opening  from  the  exterior  of  the  building  for 
quickly  cleaning  the  box  of  the  ammonia  fumes  after 
the  fuming  was  completed.  Aside  from  requiring  a 
greater  length  of  ventilation  pipe,  a  location  on  any 
other  floor  would  be  as  satisfactory,  provided  there 
were  a  window  opening  from  the  outside  or  other 
means  by  which  to  secure  a  circulation  of  air  and 
quickly  clear  the  box  of  ammonia  fumes  without  letting 
them  into  other  parts  of  the  factory. 

Both  the  dimensions  of  the  box  and  its  location  have 
been  practically  adopted  as  standard  in  a  number  of 
Rockford  factories.  While  the  size  permits  of  fuming 


A  PRACTICAL 
FUMING  BOX. 


144 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


HOAV  ROCKFORD 
FUMING  BOX 
IS  MADE. 


IS  BUILT  OF 

MATCHED 

STOCK. 


only  from  25  to  34  pieces  at  a  time,  buffets,  china 
closets,  desks,  etc.,  it  has  been  found  ample  under 
ordinary  circumstances,  with  the  very  decided  advan¬ 
tage  that  a  larger  room  requires  more  than  a  single 
carboy  of  ammonia,  or  a  rehandling  of  the  ammonia, 
and  hence  a  longer  time  for  the  fuming  process. 

The  box  itself  should  be  built  of  matched  stock  with 


THE  ROCKFORD  TYPE  OF  FUMING  BOX 

the  finished  side  in.  The  openings  in  the  wall  are  one 
in  the  top  for  the  ventilation  pipe,  a  door  (in  this  case 
about  3x7  feet) ,  a  small  sealed  window  located  so  as  to 
place  the  ammonia  trays  in  view  from  the  outside  of 
the  box,  and  a  sliding  window  located  in  juxtaposition 
with  the  lower  sash  of  the  window  in  the  side  wall  of 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  A  FUMING  ROOM 


145 


factory  building.  The  small  peep  window  is  sealed  all 
around  and  the  door  and  sliding  window  fit  closely  and 
are  provided  with  rubber  strips,  similar  to  weather 
strips,  in  order  to  make  them  air-tight  when  closed.  The 
inside  of  the  box  is  lined  throughout,  except  at  the  ven¬ 
tilator  and  window  openings,  with  sheet  tin  soldered 
together  in  the  same  manner  as  tin  roofing,  and  cor¬ 
respondingly  air  and  water  tight. 

The  arrangement  of  the  apparatus  for  handling  the 
aqua  ammonia  and  securing  a  dissemination  of  the 
ammonia  fumes  is  shown  in  the  accompanying  cross 
section  and  elevation  of  one  side  of  the  fuming  box.  It 
occupies  a  space  12  inches  wide  across  one  side  of  the 
box.  A  tank  12x18  inches  and  12  inches  deep,  large 
enough  to  hold  the  contents  of  a  carboy  of  aqua  am¬ 
monia,  is  placed  in  an  upper  corner  of  the  box.  The 
carboy  containing  the  ammonia  is  placed  in  the  lower 
corner.  When  the  goods  to  be  fumed  have  been  placed 
in  the  box  and  both  window  and  door  tightly  sealed, 
the  ammonia  is  pumped  by  a  small  hand  pump  from 
the  carboy  into  the  tank.  From  the  tank  it  runs 
through  a  valve  and  down  a  series  of  steps  and  back 
to  the  carboy,  when  it  is  ready  for  use  again.  The 
tank  and  steps  are  made  of  galvanized  iron  and  the 
steps  have  three-inch  sides  and  are  braced,  as  shown 
in  the  sketch.  In  previous  plans,  a  series  of  trays 
which  overflowed,  one  into  the  other,  were  used  in 
place  of  the  steps.  The  valve  in  the  top  reservoir  is 
used  in  both  instances  to  control  the  rate  of  flow  of 
the  ammonia  water. 

The  number  of  steps  shown  in  the  sketch  is  not 
necessarily  the  exact  number  used,  as  the  drawing  is 
not  made  to  scale.  The  object,  of  course,  is  to  have 
enough  of  them  to  give  a  large  surface  of  water  from 
which  the  ammonia  gas  can  escape,  and  also  to  give 
enough  motion  to  the  water  to  hasten  the  separation  of 
the  gas  from  it.  As  the  fuming  box  is  sealed,  and  the 
air  free  from  ammonia  gas,  when  the  water  starts  to 
flow,  is  taken  up  readily  at  first.  As  the  box  be- 
com  with  ammonia,  the  gas  escapes  from  the 

wn+  ;iv.  >nd  it  is  an  advantage  to  have  the 

am.  r  fle  w  slower.  The  steps  are  hinged  at 


PLAN  FOR 
HANDLING  THE 
AMMONIA. 


FREE  ESCAPE 
OF  AMMONIA  IS 
NECESSARY. 


146 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


OBJECTIONABLE 

FEATURES 

REMOVED. 


SIMPLE  FORM 
OF  CANVAS 
FUMING  BOX. 


the  top  and  may  be  raised  or  lowered  by  a  rope  fall 
which  supports  them  at  the  bottom  and  operates  from 
the  outside  of  the  box  through  a  small  hole  in  the  top. 
For  this  purpose  a  pulley  is  placed  on  one  of  the  sup¬ 
porting  joists  of  the  roof,  as  indicated  in  the  diagram. 
The  same  arrangement  is  used  for  raising  the  two  win¬ 
dows  when  it  is  desired  to  clear  the  box  of  ammonia 
fumes.  As  soon  as  the  windows  are  opened,  the  shut¬ 
off  in  the  ventilator  pipe  is  also  opened  and  the  air 
sweeps  in  and  through  the  box,  quickly  emptying  it 
of  ammonia  fumes  and  making  it  possible  to  remove 
the  goods  from  the  box  without  discomfort. 

With  the  arrangement  for  pumping  the  ammonia 
water  from  the  carboy  to  the  tank,  the  handling  of  am¬ 
monia  is  relieved  of  most  of  its  objectionable  features. 
Some  difficulty  was  encountered  in  devising  a  pump 
which  was  not  affected  in  any  of  its  parts  by  the  am¬ 
monia.  The  pump  used  is  made  of  iron  and  steel  espe¬ 
cially  for  the  purpose. 

About  two  minutes’  work  suffices  to  pump  the  am¬ 
monia  from  the  carboy  into  the  tank.  It  is  usually  the 
practice  to  place  the  goods  to  be  fumed  in  the  box  at 
night  and  in  the  morning  they  can  be  removed.  The 
fuming,  however,  can  be  completed  in  less  time 
when  necessary.  Twelve  to  18  turnings  can  be  made 
with  a  single  carboy  of  ammonia,  though  the  later 
turnings,  when  the  water  is  more  nearly  free  from  am¬ 
monia  gas,  require  a  longer  time. 

It  may  not  be  possible  in  every  case  to  construct 
as  elaborate  a  fuming  room  as  has  already  been  de¬ 
scribed.  It  certainly  is  not  at  all  probable  such  an 
equipment  can  be  introduced  in  the  manual  training 
schools.  But  here  is  a  simple  form  of  canvas  fuming 
box  which  will  do  its  work. 

Out  of  2x2  material  set  up  a  frame-work,  according 
to  the  size  of  the  box  desired,  and  cover  with  un¬ 
bleached  cotton,  the  weight  of  this  to  be  determined 
by  the  size  of  the  box.  When  the  four  walls  are  set  up 
and  screwed  together,  put  between  the  joints  pieces 
of  felt  or  some  heavy  material  previously  saturated 
with  silicate  of  soda  (liquid  glass)  which  can  be  pur¬ 
chased  at  about  40  to  50  cents  per  gallon.  When  the 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  A  FUMING  ROOM 


147 


screws  or  bolts  are  drawn  tight,  air-tight  joints  will 
be  secured.  The  top  is  put  on  in  the  same  manner.  The 
door  can  be  covered  in  the  same  manner.  When  the 
frame-work  is  bolted  or  screwed  to  the  floor,  which 
oftentimes  is  uneven,  use  a  half-round,  under  which 
\s  placed  cloth  saturated  with  the  liquid  glass  and 
drawn  down  with  screws.  Then,  after  the  box  is  set 


up  entirely,  give  it  a  coat  of  liquid  glass  and  two  coats 
of  paint.  This  will  give  an  absolutely  air-tight  fuming 
box,  inexpensive,  but  serviceable. 

The  arrangement  of  the  can  may  be  made  as  for 
the  larger  fuming  room,  or  it  may  be  placed  outside 
with  a  tube  running  through  the  wall  of  the  box  into 
the  first  pan.  The  capacity  of  these  pans,  together 
with  the  final  receptacle,  should  be  a  little  greater  than 
the  supply  can.  After  the  box  is  loaded,  the  ammonia 
is  turned  on  and  led  into  the  pan  by  means  of  a  small 
tube.  It  can  remain  in  this  manner  until  the  process  is 


AIR  TIGHT  BOX 
INEXPENSIVE. 


148 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


THIS  PROCESS 
TOO  SLOW  AND 
UNCERTAIN. 


complete.  The  fumes  can  be  exhausted  by  connecting 
the  top  of  the  box  with  a  blower.  The  exhausting  of 
the  box  will  be  accomplished  quicker  by  opening  the 
door  an  inch  or  two  so  that  the  same  amount  of  air 
is  let  in  as  exhausted  by  the  blower. 

While  the  process  here  described  contemplates  the 
evaporation  of  ammonia  without  artificial  aid,  the 


SHOWING  ARRANGEMENT  OF  FRAME-WORK. 


process  is  objectionable.  First,  it  is  slow.  Second, 
it  is  rather  uncertain  in  its  results,  because  of  the 
liability  of  the  ammonia  to  vary  in  strength.  Third, 
because  in  purchasing  and  transporting  ammonia  in 
the  liquid  form,  it  is  necessary  to  transport  a  large 
amount  of  water.  An  inventor,  whose  device  is  shown 
herewith,  has  sought  to  overcome  all  of  these  objec¬ 
tions.  The  system  depends  upon  liquefying  the  gas 
and  accurately  measuring  it  and  then  permitting  it  to 
enter  the  fuming  box  in  a  gaseous  form  only.  In  this 
patented  system,  the  anhydrous  ammonia  is  used,  and 
it  is  claimed  that  the  operator  is  placed  in  position  to 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  A  FUMING  ROOM 


149 


know  absolutely  just  how  much  gas  per  cubic  foot  of 
space  to  use  in  order  to  produce  a  certain  shade  of 
color.  It  then  becomes  a  matter  of  simple  equation, 
thus:  Space  +  gas  =  time  +  results.  The  operator 
will  then  work  out  his  definite  formula  and  control 
his  shades  by  the  amount  of  gas  and  time — -space 
having  become  a  known  quantity.  To  do  this,  the 


END  VIEW  SHOWING  ARRANGEMENT  OF  AMMONIA  TANK 
AND  TRAY. 


apparatus  shown  in  the  illustration  is  used.  One 
pound  of  anhydrous  gas  is  used  for  every  200  cubic 
feet  of  space  in  the  fuming  box.  The  apparatus  works 
automatically.  There  is  no  danger  whatever  in  con¬ 
nection  with  this  method  as,  should  an  accident  happen 
to  the  glass  gauge,  this  supply  of  ammonia  is  cut  off, 
doing  away  with  any  danger.  The  valves  are  all  high 
pressure,  tested  up  to  500  pounds’  pressure,  assuring 
absolute  safety.  The  time  required  is  greatly  shortened 
by  this  system,  as  12  hours  of  the  fuming  or  over 
night,  produces  a  greater  effect  than  from  24  to  86 


WORKMEN  CAN 
GOVERN  SHADE 
IN  FUMING. 


150 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


hours  by  the  old  method.  The  operation  of  the  system 
is  absolutely  accurate,  as  in  setting  the  scale  for  weigh¬ 
ing  the  amount  of  ammonia  required  there  is  no  guess 
i;f\l  fumed  work  or  wasting  of  extra  ammonia.  The  system  is  the 

oak  thus  application  of  a  scientific  principle  taking  advantage 

produced.  of  a  chemical  change,  controlling  it  all  by  an  ingenious 
device  which,  in  itself,  gives  to  man  the  use  of  an 


ILLUSTRATING  A  PATENTED  AUTOMATIC  AND  MEASURING 
DEVICE  FOR  THE  INJECTION  OF  AMMONIA  GAS. 


element  by  the  simple  turning  of  valves  and  the  element 
then  doing  the  work  that  he  desires.  Fumed  oak,  thus 
produced,  is  absolutely  permanent.  Fumed  oak  that  is 
fumed  oak  is  recognized  from  its  imitations,  and  the 
older  it  grows,  the  better  it  gets,  whereas,  the  imita¬ 
tion  wears  off  at  the  edges,  bearing  its  own  stamp  of 
imitation. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


SOMETHING  MORE  ABOUT  FUMING. 


FUMED  oak,  as  the  name  implies,  should  be  pro¬ 
duced  by  the  fuming  of  oak.  It  is  an  established 
fact  that  when  the  unfinished  oak  is  subjected 
to  ammonia  in  its  gaseous  form,  ordinarily  called 
fumes  of  ammonia,  the  wood  assumes  a  color  which  is 
now  being  marketed  as  fumed  oak.  The  shades  can  be 
controlled  by  the  length  of  time  that  the  wood  is  sub¬ 
jected  to  the  process,  and  the  color  can  be  greatly  aug¬ 
mented  by  the  application  of  boiled  oil.  The  most 
beautiful  results  are  obtained,  however,  by  applying 
linseed  oil  heated,  so  it  is  just  bearable  to  the  hand, 
and  then  thoroughly  rubbed  into  the  wood.  After  it 
has  dried,  the  process  is  repeated.  This  gives  a  fumed 
oak  of  that  richness  that  is  found  only  in  furniture 
a  good  many  years  old.  The  process  of  today,  how¬ 
ever,  is  to  use  one  part  of  boiled  oil  and  from  three 
to  four  parts  of  naphtha  which,  of  course,  dries  a  good 
deal  quicker.  This  being  thinned,  penetrates  the  wood, 
and,  to  a  certain  extent,  produces  the  hot  oil  effect. 
When  this  coat  is  dry,  a  thin  coat  of  shellac  is  applied 
and  then  the  piece  is  waxed  and  called  finished. 

This  latter  method  produces  a  very  creditable 
result,  but  it  does  not  come  up  to  the  first-named 
method.  When  the  fuming  process  was  first  employed, 
it  was  customary  to  use  the  wood  of  a  single  log.  A 
more  evenly-colored  piece  of  furniture  was  the  result. 
Today  this  would  be  a  difficult  proposition,  because  a 
piece  of  furniture  is  apt  to  be  made  up  of  wood  from 
various  logs.  Again,  these  logs  are  grown  on  various 
kinds  of  soil.  The  result,  therefore,  cannot  possibly 
be  as  uniform.  After  a  piece  made  up  in  this  way  is 
fumed,  and  the  oil  coat  has  brought  out  the  shadings 
and  the  oil  is  thoroughly  dry,  rub  off  any  grease  spots 
that  may  remain  and  even  up  by  using  a  water  solution 
of  sulphur  brown,  blending  it  nicely  by  the  use  of  a 
camel  hair  brush.  (See  “Blending.”)  Then  give  it 


FINISH  SHADE 
CONTROLLED  BY 
LENGTH  OF 
FUMING. 


TEXTURE  OF 
SOIL  HAS 
INFLUENCE  ON 
FUMING. 


152 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


HOW  TO 
SHORTEN  TIME 
OF  FUMING. 


OAK  YIELDS 
BEST  RESULTS 
WITH  AMMONIA. 


a  coat  of  shellac,  preferably  made  of  one  part  white 
shellac,  one  part  orange  shellac,  and  one  or  two  parts 
of  wood  alcohol.  Apply  the  wax. 

There  is  absolutely  no  need  of  mentioning  any  other 
method  for  the  use  of  ammonia.  While  it  is  true  that 
it  can  be  obtained  from  other  methods,  the  time  re¬ 
quired  and  cost  is  prohibitive. 

The  important  question  is  how  to  shorten  the  time 
required  in  the  fuming  process.  While  this  largely 
depends  upon  the  strength  of  ammonia,  and  the  ef¬ 
ficiency  of  the  fuming  box  or  room,  it  still  is  true  that 
if  it  is  possible  to  shorten  the  hours  required  to  fume 
and  to  produce  the  necessary  depth  of  color,  the  method 
would  be  welcome,  especially  during  the  rush  season. 

Just  now  there  are  compounds  offered  to  the  manu¬ 
facturer  which,  by  their  application,  reduce  the  time 
required  in  the  fuming  box.  To  a  certain  degree,  it  is 
playing  one  hand  against  the  other.  You  pay  for  the 
labor  to  coat  the  work  in  order  to  save  the  time  in  the 
fuming  box.  If  this  were  all  that  these  compounds 
yielded,  it  then  would  be  merely  a  matter  of  equipment 
and  the  cost  of  that  equipment,  but  some  of  the  com¬ 
pounds  have  merits  other  than  that  of  saving  time 
which  is  an  aid  in  giving  a  deeper  color  and,  to  a  cer¬ 
tain  degree,  an  aid  in  securing  a  more  uniform  result. 
Take  work  that  is  made  up  of  various  grades  of  oak. 
These  will  be  found  to  yield  a  more  uniform  result  by 
first  having  been  coated  with  one  of  these  compounds, 
and  then  will  require  to  be  subjected  to  the  fumes  of 
ammonia  for  a  shorter  time.  The  color  effect  is  pro¬ 
duced  by  changing  the  compound  rather  than  calling 
upon  the  presence  of  the  color-giving  factor  in  the 
wood,  tannin. 

We  are  aware  of  the  fact  that  the  oak  yields  the 
best  results  when  subjected  to  the  fumes  of  ammonia. 
This  is  due  to  the  large  percentage  of  tannin  present. 
Therefore,  is  it  not  the  most  plausible  belief  that  by 
supplanting  the  amount  of  tannin  a  quicker  result 
and,  also,  a  stronger  result,  a  deeper  shade,  is  obtained 
in  fuming?  It  will  be  found  that  all  of  the  compounds 
offered  on  the  market  are  based  on  this  theory,  and 
that  most  of  them  depend  upon  their  results  for  the 


SOMETHING  MORE  ABOUT  FUMING 


153 


tannin  they  contain.  To  satisfy  the  user  of  a  fuming 
box  as  to  the  efficiency  of  tannin,  and  its  kindred  chem¬ 
icals,  let  the  following  experiment  answer  the  question. 

Procure  a  good  sample  of  the  various  kinds  of  oak 
and,  after  it  has  been  dressed,  such  as  it  would  be  when 
made  up  into  furniture,  coat  small  portions  of  each 
with  the  various  strengths  of  the  chemicals  mentioned 
below.  To  be  explicit,  remember  that  each  one  is  to 
be  coated  alike,  a  strip  of  three  or  four  inches  wide, 
so  that  later  they  can  be  laid  alongside  each  other  and 
the  results  compared.  This  will  show,  besides  the  gen¬ 
eral  results,  the  difference  which  the  wood  itself  makes, 
so  that  later  on  in  actual  practice,  the  strength  can  be 
changed  to  produce  a  uniformity  on  the  different  oaks. 

Tannic  acid  can  be  purchased  in  reasonable  quan¬ 
tities  at  about  $1  a  pound,  pyrogallic  acid  at  about  $2 
and  gallic  acid  at  75  cents.  Take  one-half  ounce  of 
each  one  of  these  chemicals  and  dissolve  each  in  a 
quart  of  water.  Now  coat  each  piece  of  wood  with 
these  solutions  in  three  different  places  and  subject 
them  to  the  fuming  process.  It  is  well,  also,  to  have 
always  a  piece  of  wood  similar  to  that  which  is  to  be 
fumed  along  with  the  test  pieces  so  that  the  difference 
can  be  more  readily  estimated.  For  the  extractive 
compounds,  procure  some  tan  bark  liquor,  chestnut 
extract,  quebracco  extract  and  catechu,  and  make  with 
these  various  strengths  by  adding  one  ounce  to  the 
quart  of  water.  Apply  these  to  the  oak  as  described 
above.  The  results  must  give  the  answer  to  the  entire 
problem  of  using  chemicals  or  fuming  compounds  to 
hasten  the  fuming  process. 

A  greater  uniformity  can  be  produced  in  the  fuming 
box  if  the  wood,  or  piece  of  furniture,  is  coated  with 
a  solution  of  tannic  acid,  and  pyrogallic  acid,  prefer¬ 
ably  one-half  ounce  of  the  former,  and  one  ounce  of 
the  latter  to  the  gallon  of  water.  It  has  been  found 
that  when  the  fumes  of  ammonia  have  been  applied 
at  least  four  hours,  a  very  even  result  is  obtained, 
much  more  so  than  when  fumed  without  the  applica¬ 
tion  of  the  acids.  Where  extreme  differences  of  shade 
are  shown,  these  can  be  overcome  by  wetting  these 
places  with  naphtha  which  will  bring  out  the  discrep- 


EFFICIENCY  OF 
TANNIN  IN 
FUMING. 


COMPARATIVE 
RESULTS  IN 
FUMING. 


154 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


UNIFORMITY 
PRODUCED  BY 
USE  OF 
SHELLAC. 


ancy  of  shade.  As  soon  as  the  naphtha  has  practically 
dried  out,  coat  with  a  very  weak  solution  of  brown 
stain.  For  this,  use  a  solution  of  bichromate  of  potash 
and  jet  black.  Put  enough  of  the  black  into  the  bi¬ 
chromate  solution  to  give  it  the  brownish  tint.  Under¬ 
stand  thoroughly  that  this  must  be  a  weak  stain.  It 
will  be  found  that  when  the  shellac  coat  is  applied,  a 
uniformity  is  produced  altogether  more  satisfactory 
than  when  the  toning  is  done  in  the  shellac  coat. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


FUMING  OAK  BY  STAINING  PROCESS. 


TO  better  familiarize  the  reader  with  the  general 
operation  of  the  various  steps  in  the  production 
of  fumed  oak  by  the  use  of  any  of  the  several 
formulas  given,  and  to  bring  out  the  great  possibilities 
by  the  employment  of  various  strengths  of  chemical 
solutions,  these  general  suggestions  will  apply: 

Where  the  stain  method  is  employed,  a  good  deal 
can  be  done  to  assist  in  producing  the  desired  result 
in  the  first  coat.  A  solution  of  two  parts  of  bichromate, 
one  part  of  carbonate  of  potash,  calling  the  parts 
ounces,  to  the  gallon  of  water,  will  produce  a  first  coat. 
Apply  this  coat  thoroughly,  and  let  it  stand  24  hours. 
Where  a  light  piece  of  wood  is  laid  next  to  a  quartered 
darker  piece,  say  red  oak,  let  the  stainer  coat  the  entire 
piece,  and  then  re-coat  along  the  line  of  the  light  piece, 
blending  it  out.  This,  when  it  dries  down,  and  receives 
the  second  coat,  will  materially  uniform  the  shade. 
Again,  the  application  of  naphtha  will  assist.  Under¬ 
stand  that  the  naphtha  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  pro¬ 
duction  of  the  color.  It  merely  helps  to  bring  out  the 
difference  in  shade,  and  the  man  that  is  doing  the 
blending  in  that  way  will  shortly  know  just  how  heavy 
to  apply  the  blending  coat,  and  can  then  dispense  with 
the  use  of  naphtha.  Where  the  blending  is  done  over 
the  second  coat  of  stain,  care  must  be  taken  not  to 
lift  the  second  coat,  so  as  to  “pile  it  up,”  and  thus  pro¬ 
duce  blotchy  work.  It  will  not  be  necessary  to  sand 
these  blended  coats ;  the  sanding  of  the  first  coats  will 
have  sufficiently  smoothed  the  work. 

In  chair  factories,  where  smaller  surfaces  are  pre¬ 
sented,  the  following  method  may  be  found  expedient 
for  dipping.  It  is  purely  a  chemical  proposition,  and 
by  no  means  a  poor  way  to  stain.  Make  a  solution  of 
the  two  acids  recommended,  and  dip  the  wood;  let  it 
drain  back  from  a  wood  drain  board.  Absolutely  no 
metallic  surfaces  can  be  used,  which  means  that  the 


SUGGESTION  IN 

STAINING 

PROCESS. 


GUARDING 
AGAINST 
"PILING  UP.” 


156 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


METHOD  FOR 
USE  WITH 
SMALLER 
SURFACES. 


IMPORTANT 
ITEMS  IN 
PROCEDURE. 


tank  itself  must  be  constructed  entirely  of  wood.  Im¬ 
merse  the  piece,  and  see  that  it  is  covered  thoroughly. 
Many  times  you  will  find  that  the  dust  from  the  sand¬ 
ing  operation  not  being  removed  thoroughly,  will  keep 
the  stain  solution  from  getting  into  the  wood.  In  cases 
like  that,  a  sponge  saturated  with  the  stain,  must  be 
passed  over  these  surfaces  thoroughly.  Again,  sweaty 
or  greasy  fingers  will  keep  this  stain  from  penetrating. 
It  is  necessary  to  pass  the  sponge  over  these  spots  until 
you  are  certain  that  the  same  amount  of  stain  has  been 
applied  as  on  the  balance  of  the  article. '  After  this 
dipping  solution  has  dried  thoroughly,  sand  very 
lightly,  just  enough  to  remove  all  the  fibers,  and  dust 
again.  Then  immerse  the  piece  in  a  solution  of  bi¬ 
chromate  of  potash,  caustic  potash,  four  ounces  to  the 
gallon,  or  three  ounces  of  each  to  the  gallon,  if  a  strong 
tone  is  to  be  obtained.  Dissolve  four  ounces  of  sulphate 
of  copper  in  a  quart  of  hot  water.  Of  this  copper  solu¬ 
tion,  measure  from  four  to  six  ounces,  preferably  in  a 
glass  vessel.  To  the  copper  solution  add  an  equivalent 
volume  of  stronger  water  of  ammonia.  When  the  am¬ 
monia  is  first  added,  a  white  precipitate  will  be  formed, 
which  is  copper-hydroxide,  but  which  immediately  re¬ 
dissolves  and  forms  a  deep  ultra-marine  blue  colored 
solution,  with  a  very  strong  ammoniacal  odor.  This  is 
due  to  the  excess  of  ammonia,  and  as  long  as  this  excess 
of  ammonia  is  present  the  copper  will  remain  in  solu¬ 
tion.  This  blue  solution,  then,  is  added  to  the  chrome 
potash  solution  which  amounts  to  a  little  better  than  a 
gallon,  but  which  must  be  in  thorough  solution,  that  is, 
the  bichromate  and  the  carbonate  must  have  been  dis¬ 
solved.  The  sudden  contact  of  a  carbonate  with  water 
has  a  tendency  so  to  harden  the  carbonate  as  to  keep 
it  from  dissolving,  and  when  it  once  gets  into  this  con¬ 
dition,  it  is  apt  to  stay  in  a  solid  form  encrusted  on  the 
bottom  of  the  vessel,  jug  or  jar.  In  that  way  the  resul¬ 
tant  shade  will  be  that  much  lighter.  When  the  solu¬ 
tion,  however,  is  perfect,  stir  in  the  blue  copper  solu¬ 
tion,  and  continually  stir  or  agitate,  with  the  result 
that  a  beautiful  light  green  stain  will  be  produced. 
This,  then,  is  the  second  coat.  Whether  it  be  used 
with  a  brush,  or  whether  it  be  used  as  a  dipping  stain, 


FUMING  OAK  BY  STAINING  PROCESS 


157 


it  will  form  a  rich  brown  when  it  comes  in  contact  with 
the  first  coat.  The  chemical  effect  produced  is  very 
much  like  that  when  the  same  wood  is  subjected  to  the 
fuming  box.  It  will  not  raise  the  grain  as  one  would 
think;  it  will  not  attack  the  glue  joints,  as  is  often 
thought  it  would.  The  setting  of  it  has  been  assured 
by  the  care  taken  in  applying  the  first  coat,  but  if  this 
care  has  not  been  taken,  it  is  self-evident  that  the 
neglect  will  be  more  apparent  because  the  second  coat 
has  had  no  chemical  to  work  upon,  and  thus  a  much 
lighter  color  will  be  presented  where  the  first  coat  was 
omitted. 

When  a  formula  of  this  kind  is  recommended,  the 
reader  must  apply  a  bit  of  his  own  ingenuity.  He  can 
strengthen  or  weaken  this  solution;  he  can  augment 
the  second  coat  by  the  addition  of  anilines,  bearing  in 
mind  that  the  mordant  which  sets  the  aniline  is  present 
in  the  chemical  constituents  of  the  stain,  so  that  there 
is  practically  no  shade  of  fumed  oak,  or  brown  oak, 
that  cannot  be  produced  with  this  method.  Nor  is  it 
necessary  that  this  be  used  on  oak  alone.  The  most 
beautiful  and  richest  mahoganies,  rosewood  or  cherry 
can  be  produced  with  this  method.  A  decided  chemical 
change  is  wrought  by  the  application  of  these  chem¬ 
icals.  Understand,  if  these  are  all  mixed  together  they 
would  be  absolutely  useless.  The  result  is  due  entirely 
to  the  placing  of  the  constituent  upon  which  the  second 
series  of  chemicals  work,  producing  the  chemical 
changes  which  bring  forth  the  color. 

I  must  emphasize  that  the  judging  of  these  colors, 
or  rather  the  results,  must  not  be  done  until  the  wood 
has  received  its  finish,  the  shellac  and  wax  bringing 
out  a  depth  of  shade  far  greater  than  would  be  ex¬ 
pected. 

Where  the  cost  will  permit  an  oil  coat,  before  the 
shellac  is  put  on,  it  will  revive  the  wood  and  give  it  a 
richness  and  mellowness  that  cannot  be  produced  by 
the  ordinary  way  of  finishing.  It  must  be  remembered 
that  in  a  fumed  oak  finish  rarely  is  it  filled;  whereas 
most  of  the  other  finishes  are  filled,  and  in  that  manner 
a  certain  amount  of  oil  is  received  by  the  wood.  Where 
the  wood  is  not  filled,  this  oil  usually  is  omitted,  with 


THE  RESULT  OF 
CAREFUL  WORK. 


COLOR  TO  BE 
JUDGED  ONLY 
WITH  FINAL 
FINISH. 


158 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


THOROUGHNESS 
IN  FINISH 
BRINGS  PROFIT. 


POTASH 
SOLUTION 
HELPS  IN 
SHADING. 


the  consequence  that  we  lack  the  depth  of  transparency 
which  is  given  by  the  oil.  One  simply  has  to  exemplify 
this  by  coating  a  piece  of  paper  with  oil,  and  then 
shellacing  it,  or  simply  shellacing  a  piece  of  paper,  and 
holding  both  up  to  a  light. 

Thoroughness  in  the  finishing  department  brings 
profits.  There  are  many  corners  that  can  be  cut  when 
the  department  is  systematized,  and  where  the  opera¬ 
tors  have  a  thorough  acquaintance  with  the  materials 
at  hand,  where  every  handling  of  the  piece  counts.  A 
directness  of  purpose — no  rule-o’-thumb  methods — 
records  of  operations  in  black  and  white,  so  they  may 
be  repeated  and  duplicated  at  a  moment’s  notice,  are 
a  few  of  the  things  advocated. 

In  the  factories  where  fumed  oak  is  produced  by 
the  staining  method,  it  happens  often  that  in  their 
endeavors  to  produce  a  certain  matching  the  difficulties 
are  noticed  mostly  in  the  flake.  To  reproduce  the 
peculiar  color  that  the  flake  assumes  in  the  fuming 
process  has  baffled  the  staining  room  more  than  once. 
Some  of  the  shades  can  be  produced  by  sponging  the 
wood  with  a  strong  potash  solution  to  which  has  been 
added  bichromate  of  potash.  This  is  satisfactory  where 
the  yellowish  shades  predominate.  The  flakes  will  take 
on  the  color  and  the  same  will  be  permanent,  but  since 
fumed  oak  is  being  made  darker  this  method  no  longer 
suffices  to  match  the  genuine  fumed,  as  far  as  the  flake 
is  concerned.  This  can  be  done,  however,  by  using  a 
very  weak  solution  of  iron  in  the  first  coat,  or  better, 
in  the  sponging  water.  Add  to  the  gallon  about  one 
ounce  of  sulphate  of  iron,  and  let  the  work  stand  over 
night  before  any  more  work  is  done  on  the  piece.  It 
will  have  taken  on  a  light  blue  gray  color  which  can  bo 
partially  sanded  off  and  the  process  proceeded  with. 
That  is,  the  brown  coats  applied  when  you  will  notice 
that  the  flakes  will  take  on  the  shades  produced  by  the 
regular  fuming  process.  All  in  all,  this  is  a  ticklish 
procedure,  as  no  two  pieces  of  oak  will  give  the  same 
depth  of  color. 

In  high  grade  work  this  can  be  done  nicely,  as  a 
piece  that  has  a  good  many  flakes  can  have  a  heavier 
coat  of  the  sponging  solution,  and  in  that  way  the  flake 


FUMING  OAK  BY  STAINING  PROCESS 


159 


receives  the  iron  salt  required  to  produce  the  shade  that 
is  now  in  vogue.  It  always  must  be  remembered  that 
the  flakes  present  the  most  difficulty  in  taking  on  any 
kind  of  stain  and,  therefore,  must  be  handled  with  such 
chemical  solutions  as  are  best  adapted  to  penetrate  and 
produce  an  effect  upon  them  without  depreciating  the 
other  part  of  the  timber.  The  sanding  will  take  off 
some  of  this  effect,  and  it  is  peculiar,  but  nevertheless 
true,  that  it  evens  up  when  the  final  results  are  ob¬ 
tained.  That  is,  it  is  particularly  noticeable  after  the 
first  coat  of  shellac. 

Usually  the  fumed  stained  coat  has  in  it  a  brown, 
black,  orange  and  in  some  formulas  yellow.  From  this 
make-up  you  will  recognize  how  it  is  that  by  putting 
a  bluish  gray  on  the  work  for  the  underlying  coat  the 
flake  takes  on  the  color  that  is  produced  in  the  fuming 
process.  Take  a  thoroughly  fumed  piece  of  wood  and 
examine  it  closely.  You  will  notice  that  the  center 
of  the  flake  is  hard  and  glassy  appearing  and  that  the 
outer  part  of  the  flake  is  of  a  lighter  shade  and  does 
not  seem  to  have  taken  the  color  as  did  the  center  or 
any  other  part  of  the  wood.  It  is  absolutely  correct, 
but  they  must  harmonize.  It  no  way  can  the  flake 
stand  out  as  an  individual,  rather  than  the  component 
part  of  the  entire  board. 

This  can  be  controlled  by  the  handling  of  the  first 
two  coats.  The  iron  solution  must  be  in  harmony  with 
the  orange  or  yellows  in  the  brown  mixture.  When 
you  get  a  line  on  the  shade  you  are  after,  a  few  little 
testings  will  suffice  to  give  you  the  definite  formula. 
You  know  why  you  are  using  more  or  less  of  these  two 
colors,  and  by  watching  the  effect  upon  the  flake,  the 
balance  of  the  wood  will  come  out  in  beautiful  harmony 
with  the  flake. 

The  only  place  where  extreme  care  is  required  is 
where  the  iron  coat,  or  sponging  coat,  is  applied  to  the 
fine  grained  wood  or  sappy  wood.  The  operator  must 
apply  the  solutions  sparingly  to  the  close  grained  and 
not  at  all  to  the  sappy  portions.  Where  the  greenish 
effect  is  desired  in  the  fumed  oak,  it  can  be  produced 
by  using  the  iron  solution  in  the  sponging  coat  stronger 
and  the  yellow  in  the  brown  coat,  thus  producing  the 


FLAKES  PROVE 
DIFFICULT  TO 
STAIN. 


CARE  NEEDED 
WITH  IRON 
COAT. 


160 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


HOW  TO  AVOID 
USE  OF  IRON 
COAT. 


greenish  effect.  Another  way  is  to  avoid  entirely  the 
use  of  the  iron  and  produce  the  green  by  using  a  pre¬ 
ponderance  of  yellow  and  green  aniline  in  the  stain 
coat.  This  is  merely  mentioned  to  give  the  reader  an 
idea  how  to  go  at  it.  A  bilious  looking  fumed  oak  is 
never  going  to  stand  the  test  of  time.  It  does  not  har¬ 
monize  with  the  usual  decorations  of  the  home.  It  is 
a  harsh  contrast  with  wall  finishes  and  other  decora¬ 
tions,  and  to  the  manufacturer  who  has  a  call  for  it  the 
foregoing  will  give  him  an  idea  how  to  go  at  it.  There 
is  little  to  worry  about,  as  it  is  almost  impossible  to 
find  two  pieces  of  the  new  idea  of  fumed  oak  that  will 
match  each  other. 


✓ 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


ACIDS  AND  THEIR  USE  IN  FUMING. 


AS  THE  words  “tannin,”  “tannic  acid,”  “gallic 
acid”  and  “pyrogallic  acid”  are  being  used  fre¬ 
quently  in  this  book,  undoubtedly  a  more  de¬ 
tailed  knowledge  of  what  these  substances  really  are 
is  desired  by  those  whose  occupation  makes  it  necessary 
for  them  to  know  their  uses.  What  may  be  said  here 
will  serve  as  information  relative  to  the  source  and 
general  constituent  of  a  commodity  which  is  being 
used  more  and  more  in  the  production  of  colors  in  the 
finishing  room. 

Tannins  or  Tannic  Acid  are  terms  applied  to  a 
large  number  of  rather  complex  organic  substances 
found  in  various  parts  of  many  plants  and  trees  in 
certain  abnormal  or  pathological  growths  (galls)  oc¬ 
curring  on  the  stems  or  leaves  of  many  plants.  In 
general  they  are  light  amorphus  solids,  pale  yellow  or 
brown  in  color,  soluble  in  water,  having  an  astringent 
taste,  and  giving  a  blue  black  or  olive  green  precipitate 
with  ferric  (iron)  salts.  They  form  insoluble  staple 
compounds  out  of  gelatine  and  albumin,  this  property 
being  made  use  of  in  the  process  of  tanning.  The 
tannins  may  be  divided  into  two  groups:  Those  ob¬ 
tained  from  abnormal  vegetable  growths,  such  as  nut 
galls,  and  those  obtained  from  the  healthy  portion  of 
the  plant.  At  the  present  time,  tannin  is  obtained 
from  the  palmetto,  which  grows  in  our  South,  que- 
bracco  and  from  the  chestnut  tree.  All  are  indigenous 
to  our  own  country.  Gallotannic  acid,  digallic  acid, 
ordinary  tannic  acid,  is  a  most  important  member  of 
the  first  class.  It  occurs  in  the  gall  nuts  of  the  various 
varieties  of  the  oak,  in  the  Chinese  and  Turkish  gall 
nuts  and  in  certain  kinds  of  sumac.  The  chemical  for¬ 
mula  is  C.  14.  H.  10.  0.9.  It  may  be  considered  anhy¬ 
dride  of  gallic  acid.  It  passes  to  that  body  when 
heated  with  dilute  alkalies.  Gallotannic  acid  is  used 
in  the  preparation  of  gallic  and  pyrogallic  acids,  in  the 


WHERE  THE 
TANNINS  COME 
FROM. 


162 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


GALLIC  ACID 
COMES  FROM 
GALL  NUTS. 


GALLIC  ACID 
AN  IMPORTANT 
ASTRINGENT. 


preparation  of  ink ;  in  medicine  as  an  astringent,  and 
as  a  mordant  in  dyeing. 

The  most  important  tannins  of  the  second  class  are 
found  in  the  bark,  wood  and  leaves  of  the  oaks  and 
hemlocks.  Many  other  similar  acids,  such  as  querci 
tannic  acid,  from  the  oak,  of  somewhat  uncertain  con¬ 
stitution,  are  known.  These  are  said  to  be  a  reddish 
white  powder,  slightly  soluble  in  cold  water,  more 
readily  in  diluted  alcohol.  Undoubtedly  many  of  these 
acids  are  present  in  our  woods,  as  used  in  the  industry, 
and  it  is  upon  these  that  we  depend  to  a  certain  degree 
for  the  color  produced  when  chemicals  are  applied  that 
are  affected  by  the  presence  of  the  tannins  and  kindred 
acids  in  the  woods. 

Gallic  Acid  is  an  acid  which  exists  in  a  small 
quantity  in  gall  nuts,  in  Valonia  (the  acorn  cups  of  the 
oak),  in  pods  of  sumac  and  other  vegetables.  It  is 
usually  prepared  from  gall  nuts  which,  in  addition  to 
the  gallic  acid,  contain  a  large  proportion  of  tannin 
(tannic  acid  or  gallo-tannic  acid).  When  the  gall  nuts 
are  digested  with  water  for  some  weeks,  fermentation 
takes  place,  and  the  tannic  acid  is  gradually  converted 
into  gallic  acid.  The  same  result  is  obtained  more 
quickly  if  sulphuric  acid  be  present.  To  obtain  pure 
gallic  acid,  the  gall  nuts  are  boiled  with  water  and  the 
hot  liquor  separated.  On  cooling,  gallic  acid  crystal¬ 
lizes  out,  and  is  further  purified  in  the  solution  of  hot 
water,  and  treatment  with  animal  charcoal.  It  forms 
delicate,  silky  crystals,  nearly  colorless,  and  having 
a  sourish  taste.  It  is  soluble  in  boiling  water,  but  only 
one  part  to  one  hundred  in  cold  water.  On  this  account 
it  can  be  readily  purified  by  recrystallization.  With  a 
solution  of  iron,  it  produces  a  blue  black  color,  and 
finally  yields  a  black  precipitate  on  exposure  to  the  air. 
Hence  it  may  also  be  used  in  the  production  of  ink, 
for  which  purpose  it  has  some  advantage  over  tannic 
or  gall  nuts.  When  the  crystals  are  strongly  heated, 
pyrogallic  acid  is  produced,  and  sublimes  over.  Gallic 
acid  is  useful  as  an  astringent  as  it  does  not  coagulate 
albumin.  It  is  readily  absorbed  into  the  blood,  but 
where  a  decided  local  astringent  effect  is  desired,  tannic 
acid  is  much  more  powerful.  This  bit  of  information 


ACIDS  AND  THEIR  USE  IN  FUMING 


163 


is  of  value  to  the  factory  man,  as  in  cases  of  cuts  or 
slight  injuries  a  tampon,  soaked  with  a  5  per  cent 
solution  of  tannic  acid  will  act  as  an  astringent  and 
stop  the  bleeding. 

Pyrogallic  Acid,  Pyrogallol  or  Tri-Oxy-Ben- 
ZINE  are  produced,  as  stated,  by  the  action  of  heat  on 
gallic  acid,  carbon-dioxide  being  eliminated  in  the 
process.  Fine,  colorless  needles  or  plates,  readily 
soluble  in  water,  less  so  in  alcohol  or  ether,  melting 
point  102  degrees  C.  It  is  valuable  because  of  its  great 
affinity  for  oxygen.  Its  alkaline  solution  is  used  to 
absorb  oxygen  in  gas  analysis.  It  forms  a  number  of 
derivatives,  some  being  valuable  dye  stuff. 

With  this  short  description  of  the  three  vegetable 
acids  which  today  are  playing  such  a  strong  part  in 
the  production  of  fumed  oak,  we  can  readily  see  where¬ 
in  we  take  advantage  of  their  peculiarities  in  produc¬ 
ing  stains. 

Pyrogallic  acid  can  be  made  up  into  an  alkaline 
solution  which  will  turn  brown,  and  this  gives  to  the 
finisher  a  new  line  to  experiment  with.  At  the  present 
time  we  are  applying  a  mixture  of  tannic  acid  and 
pyrogallic  acid  and  follow  it  with  a  mixture  in  solution 
of  bichromate  of  potash  and  carbonate  of  potash  or 
soda.  Pyro,  as  it  is  commonly  called,  will  permit  of 
making  the  solutions  all  in  one,  and  it  only  remains  to 
take  into  consideration  the  amount  of  each  chemical 
that  will  remain  in  solution  and  be  of  sufficient  strength 
to  produce  the  depth  of  brown  now  conventional  as 
fumed  oak.  We  have  gone  to  the  products  used  by  the 
tanning  works  to  obtain  our  dye  stuffs  in  a  crude  way ; 
that  is  to  say,  the  extracts  are  of  more  or  less  variable 
strengths.  The  percentage  of  tannin  is  really  all  we 
rely  upon,  and  as  the  extracts  known  as  tan  bark 
extracts  generally  were  not  standardized  as  to  the 
definite  strengths  of  tannin,  our  results  necessarily 
were  uncertain,  and  therefore,  we  reverted  to  the  use 
of  tannic  acid  and  pyrogallic  acid  themselves.  These 
are  of  uniform  strength.  Their  application  has 
been  treated  upon  heretofore,  but  the  man  who  is 
supposed  to  be  using  these  commodities  can  better 
understand  the  handling  of  them  when  he  has  some 


PYROGALLIC 
ACID  RESULTS 
FROM  HEATED 
GALLIC  ACID. 


TANNIN  AND 
PYRO  ARE  OF 
UNIFORM 
STRENGTH. 


164 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


WHY  COLORS 
PRODUCED  IS  A 
MATTER  OF 
CHEMISTRY. 


knowledge  as  to  the  source  of  his  supplies.  To  tell 
why  a  color  is  produced,  and  what  changes  really  take 
place,  would  be  stepping  into  organic  chemistry,  which 
is  complex  to  say  the  least,  and  could  not  be  expected 
to  be  comprehended  by  the  craftsman.  But  the  simple 
statement  that  the  results  obtained  by  the  processes 
and  formulas  given  are  absolutely  permanent  and 
definite,  must  suffice.  To  know  and  to  be  positive  of 
this  statement  only  requires  a  few  experiments  to  con¬ 
vince  the  skeptical. 

The  chemical  changes  which  take  place  and  through 
which  the  color  is  produced,  are  according  to  the  laws 
of  nature,  and  while  nature  works  many  freaks,  it 
never  belies  itself.  To  take  advantage  of  the  natural 
changes  produced  by  the  various  applications  of 
nature’s  products  is  but  to  help  oneself.  It  is  impor¬ 
tant  that  one  become  familiar  with  these  changes  and 
processes  which  are  here  offered  and  which  are  ours 
by  mastering  them. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


GLUE  JOINTS  THAT  PART  IN  FUMING. 


WHEN  difficulty  is  encountered  in  glue  joints 
parting  during  the  fuming  process,  it  will  be 
found  due  to  one  or  two  causes — glue  or  hu¬ 
midity  in  the  fuming  box.  When  this  trouble  arises, 
do  not  condemn  the  glue  in  itself ;  it  may  be  a  fault  in 
its  application  or  in  its  preparation  and  general  treat¬ 
ment.  A  quick  remedy  is  to  have  about  1  per  cent  of 
alum  dissolved  in  the  water.  This  has  a  hardening 
effect  and  it  has  been  found  glue  joints  made  with 
alum  will  withstand  the  fuming  process  under  all  con¬ 
ditions.  One  thing  is  to  be  avoided  when  steam  is 
employed  to  agitate  the  final  drippings  of  ammonia; 
never  should  it  be  allowed  to  escape  in  the  fuming  box. 

Joints  that  are  not  made  true,  where  the  glue  is 
applied  so  thickly  that  you  might  almost  call  it  a  space 
filler,  are  dangerous  at  best.  The  amount  of  glue  is 
so  great,  the  surface  so  large,  subjected  to  all  kinds 
of  atmospheric  conditions,  that  ammonia  gas  may  have 
a  detrimental  effect;  but  this  is  a  fault  of  the  wood¬ 
working  end  rather  than  of  the  staining  department, 
although  manifested  only  when  the  finishing  depart¬ 
ment  receives  the  work. 


PROCEDURE  TO 
FOLLOW. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


THE  MANIPULATION  OF  STAINS. 


IT  IS  safe  to  say  that  very  few  published  formulas 
exceed,  or  come  within,  the  solvent  limit  of  their 
solids.  The  difficulty  of  overloading  the  liquid  is 
usually  encountered  in  endeavoring  to  get  a  dark  or 
heavy  shade,  but  this  can  always  be  avoided  by  change 
of  materials.  Whenever  a  color  or  stain  requires  more 
of  the  color  material  than  remains  in  solution,  it  is  well 
to  quit  at  once  the  attempt  at  producing  a  stain  with 
that  material.  It  then  becomes  more  of  a  paint.  With 
the  later  stain  materials  this  is  rarely  the  case.  It  is 
only  by  the  use  of  the  older  method  that  these  difficul¬ 
ties  are  encountered.  When  a  formula  is  once  estab¬ 
lished  and  the  resultant  shade  correct,  the  necessity  of 
bearing  the  foregoing  recommendations  in  mind  must 
be  apparent.  Again,  it  is  taken  for  granted  that  for¬ 
mulas  are  made  up  of  materials,  the  standard  of  which 
can  be  maintained.  In  this  day,  when  aniline  colors 
can  be  obtained  in  almost  every  conceivable  shade, 
under  normal  conditions,  their  use  is  recommended. 
But  in  cases  where  extracts  of  vegetable  matter  are 
employed,  uniformity  must  always  be  guarded  by  keep¬ 
ing  for  comparison  the  original  solution  made  up  from 
the  same  material  as  that  employed  in  building  the 
original  formula. 

For  this  purpose,  adopt  a  uniform  standard,  say, 
for  example,  use  one  ounce  of  your  color  material,  and 
dissolve  it  in  sufficient  water  so  that  a  light  shade  of 
the  color  is  produced,  label  it  and  put  it  away.  When 
the  next  batch  of  the  same  material  is  purchased,  make 
a  like  solution  and  compare  it.  If  it  corresponds  with 
the  original  sample,  it  is  safe  to  employ  in  the  future 
stains,  but  if  it  runs  darker,  you  will  have  to  lessen  the 
quantity,  and  if  it  runs  lighter  you  will  have  to  increase 
the  quantity.  This  precaution  is  not  necessary  where 
anilines  are  employed,  but  is  safe  to  carry  out,  es¬ 
pecially  where  color  material  is  offered  at  reduced 


FEW  FORMULAS 
COME  WITHIN 
SOLVENT  LIMIT. 


MAINTAIN 

UNIFORM 

STANDARD. 


168 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


REDUCTION  OF 
COLOR  VALUE 
TO  BE  AVOIDED. 


THE  CHEMICALS 
THAT  SHOULD 
BE  SHUNNED. 


prices.  The  reduction  is  usually  compensated  for  by 
a  similar  reduction  of  the  color  value  furnished.  Un¬ 
fortunately,  this  reduction  is  made  by  the  addition  of 
salt,  sugar  or  dextrin.  Take  a  high  grade  color  for 
which  the  market  price  is  70  cents.  It  may  be  offered 
to  you  for  60  cents,  the  difference  being  made  up  by 
that  same  percentage  of  salt  in  the  product  shipped  to 
you.  This  is  not  detectable  in  the  physical  appearance 
of  the  dry  color  received,  and  often  it  is  not  noticed 
until  the  last  finishing  coats  are  applied.  Ofttimes 
this  reduction  is  made  gradually  and  then  it  is  not 
noticed  for  months  after  until,  perchance,  a  piece  of 
furniture  is  compared  with  one  made  in  a  previous 
year.  While  this  is  not  a  common  occurence,  it  is, 
however,  one  of  the  many  obstacles  that  the  foreman 
finisher  has  to  contend  with  in  maintaining  the  general 
uniformity  of  his  stain. 

The  preparation  of  stains  in  the  factory  does  not 
alone  depend  upon  the  mixing  of  colors  and  dissolving 
them  in  a  liquid,  but  it  depends  upon  a  more  or  less 
familiar  knowledge  with  those  colors  that  go  to  produce 
a  desired  shade.  The  writer  has  often  cautioned  the 
consumer,  when  purchasing  anilines,  to  insist  upon  get¬ 
ting  acid  colors  or  direct  colors — preferably  acid  colors. 
Where  a  certain  shade  cannot  be  produced  with  the 
acid  colors  at  hand,  direct  colors  may  be  used.  Again, 
where  mixtures  do  not  produce  the  desired  effect,  try 
to  obtain  the  desired  shades  by  applying  one  coat  over 
the  other.  Where  chemicals  are  employed,  there  are 
only  a  few  that  are  to  be  avoided.  They  are  notably 
the  permanganates,  silver  salts,  or  the  weaker  salts 
which  are  easily  affected  by  any  of  the  vegetable  acids 
that  may  be  present  in  the  wood.  Sometimes  the  change 
so  produced  is  calculated  to  make  a  component  part  of 
the  desired  shade,  as  in  the  oaks.  The  tannin  will 
affect  the  iron  salts  by  producing  tannate  of  iron.  The 
amount  of  tannate  of  iron  produced  then  depends  upon 
the  amount  of  tannic  acid  present  in  the  oak,  and  as 
this  varies  greatly,  there  is  only  one  way  that  definite 
results  on  oaks  can  be  produced. 

Inasmuch  as  a  good  many  of  the  present  finishes 
depend  upon  these  two  chemicals,  it  might  be  well  to 


THE  MANIPULATION  OF  STAINS 


169 


give  to  the  reader  a  method  for  definitely  producing 
the  shades  always  uniform  by  taking  advantage  of  this 
chemical  change.  It  is  known  that  there  is  nothing 
more  absolute  than  a  chemical.  Therefore,  take  an 
iron  solution  of  a  certain  strength,  and  a  certain 
amount  of  tannic  acid  would  change  all  the  iron 
present  to  tannate  of  iron  Tannate  of  iron  is  a  gray¬ 
ish  black.  The  weaker  the  solution,  the  weaker  the 
color.  As  the  wood  is  an  unknown  quantity  as  far  as 
the  amount  of  tannin  is  concerned,  it  becomes  neces¬ 
sary,  in  order  to  get  a  uniform  shade,  to  have  one  of 
the  chemicals  of  specific  strength,  and  the  other  one  in 
excess,  so  that  you  are  positive  the  color-giving  pro¬ 
ducts  are  entirely  exhausted  by  the  chemical  change. 

Therefore,  we  take  a  definite  solution  of  the  iron 
salts.  See  to  it  that  there  is  enough — yes,  more  than 
enough — tannin  present  to  effect  the  change.  We  coat 
the  wood  with  just  enough  tannin  or  tannic  acid  to 
neutralize  the  iron  solution,  depending  upon  the  tan¬ 
nic  acid  present  in  the  wood  to  be  in  excess.  This  as¬ 
sures  a  certainty  of  results.  Of  course,  the  finisher 
knows  that  weak  solutions  always  can  be  neutralized. 
It  is  safe  to  say  that  any  kind  of  oak  contains  enough 
natural  tannin  present  to  overcome  a  one  to  three  per 
cent  solution  of  iron  salt. 

In  a  following  chapter,  where  formulas  are  to  be 
found,  the  production  of  different  shades,  all  depending 
upon  chemicals,  will  be  given,  but  the  principle  involved 
in  many  of  them  is  the  same  as  the  preceding  illustra¬ 
tion. 

The  preparation  of  stains,  as  far  as  possible,  should 
be  the  final  operation  of  the  color-producing  attempt, 
but  there  are  cases  where  it  is  simply  impossible  to 
meet  the  demands  of  style  and  fashion  with  just  one 
operation.  It  is  unfortunate  that  natural  wood  varies 
in  its  tone,  and  that  in  each  and  every  case  the  result 
forces  us  to  take  into  consideration  the  color  of  the 
wood  in  the  building  of  every  formula.  For  instance, 
the  man  who  is  using  birch  or  maple  in  the  making  up 
of  mahogany  makes  it  necessary  for  his  foreman  fin¬ 
isher  to  take  into  consideration  the  difference  in  the 
wood  when  he  stains  this  piece  of  furniture.  The  fin- 


HOW  PRODUCE 
SHADES  ALWAYS 
UNIFORM. 


COLOR  OF  WOOD 
MUST  HAVE 
CONSIDERATION. 


170 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


SIMPLE  WAY 
OF  TESTING 
MATCHINGS. 


MANY  FINISHES 
DEPEND  ON 
WOOD  PORES. 


isher,  under  these  circumstances,  in  making  his  for¬ 
mula,  increases  the  strength  of  the  stain  which  is  to 
be  applied,  to  the  lighter  woods  beyond  the  stain  for 
the  darker  wood,  so  that  the  results  will  be  uniform. 
Or  if  he  is  using  part  mahogany,  he  will  make  the 
stain  so  that  it  will  give  the  desired  shade  and  matches 
up  the  lighter  woods  with  the  darker  stain.  A  simple 
way  of  testing  these  matches  is  to  wet  the  stains  with 
naphtha  after  they  have  dried,  and  make  the  com¬ 
parison  while  the  naphtha  is  wet.  This  proposition, 
however,  will  not  work  out  satisfactorily  on  oil  colors, 
for  it  is  apt  to  make  them  run. 

In  making  up  the  formula,  many  foremen  finishers 
have  found  that  an  increase  of  from  four  to  six  per 
cent  of  color  comes  very  near  to  making  the  matches. 
The  procedure  for  making  oil  or  spirit  stains  is  very 
similar  to  that  of  water  stains,  where  anilines  are 
employed.  There  are  but  a  few  vegetable  products 
that  can  be  used  in  the  latter  solvents,  and  we  recom¬ 
mend  the  omission  of  them  entirely.  Pigments  should 
never  be  used  as  a  stain.  Where  colors  are  produced, 
by  their  use,  it  is  better  to  classify  them  as  paints  or 
graining  colors.  But  many  of  our  up-to-date  finishes 
depend  upon  the  color  produced  in  the  pores  of  the 
wood  by  the  filler.  These  are  notably  employed  in 
porous  woods  where  the  pores  are  filled  and  the  filler 
usually  colored  with  pigments  that  harmonize  with  the 
general  tone  of  the  finish. 

Spirit  mahogany  must  come  in  for  consideration, 
because  none  of  the  stains  that  are  used  in  making  it 
have  been  mentioned  in  the  preparation  of  water  stain 
Spirit  mahogany  is  nothing  more  than  Bismark  brown, 
of  which  there  a  good  many  varieties  and  strengths. 
A  good  quality  of  Bismark  will  make  a  very  admirable 
spirit  mahogany.  However,  it  is  necessary  to  caution 
the  users  of  Bismark  brown,  because  they  are  apt  to 
use  more  powder  than  is  required.  Every  stain  pow¬ 
der  that  is  soluble  has  a  certain  percentage  of  solu¬ 
bility,  and  beyond  that  there  can  be  no  solution.  For 
instance,  if  a  gallon  of  alcohol  will  dissolve  four  ounces 
of  Bismark  brown,  all  that  is  added  above  the  four 
ounces  is  merely  mixed  with  the  alcohol  the  same  as 


THE  MANIPULATION  OF  STAINS 


171 


you  mix  white  lead  and  oil.  This  is  where  trouble 
arises.  You  do  not  get  a  deeper  shade,  but  you  are. 
very  apt  to  get  blotchy  results. 

For  instance,  where  an  alcoholic  stain  is  used,  and 
no  filler,  the  next  coat  is  usually  shellac.  The  alcohol 
in  the  shellac  picks  up  some  of  the  Bismark,  and  then 
it  leaves  it  in  brush  marks  on  the  work.  But,  worse 
than  that,  Bismark  brown  is  both  soluble  in  alcohol 
and  in  water,  and  sparingly  soluble  in  oil.  When  it 
is  used  in  excess,  you  are  apt  to  have  the  same  difficulty 
without  any  benefit.  Therefore,  always  see  that  the- 
amount  of  your  stain  powder  used  is  dissolved.  After 
the  solution  is  made,  let  it  stand  for  an  hour,  and  pour 
it  off. 

If  you  find  dregs,  you  can  make  up  your  mind  that 
either  you  haven’t  given  it  time  enough  to  dissolve  or 
that  you  are  using  more  powder  than  necessary.  In 
such  a  case,  where  the  depth  of  color  cannot  be  obtained 
by  the  straight  Bismark,  add  spirit  black.  A  very  little 
of  this  will  work  wonders  on  the  spirit  stain.  One  of 
the  best  signs  that  too  much  mahogany,  or  rather  Bis¬ 
mark,  has  been  used  is  the  bronzing  of  the  aniline 
after  the  alcohol  has  evaporated.  Of  course,  this  is 
all  done  away  with,  as  a  rule,  when  the  shellac  coat  is 
applied;  but  it  is  just  that  much  more  than  is  required 
and  has  a  tendency  to  take  away  the  transparency  of 
the  stain. 

Finishers  often  have  wondered  why  they  have  a 
sediment  in  their  mahogany  stain.  This  is  usually 
found  in  the  cheaper  stain  powders  where  the  reduction 
in  price  has  been  made  up  by  the  addition  of  dextrin 
or  similar  inexpensive  fillers.  After  the  advent  of  red 
and  brown,  a  formula  was  sold  to  the  manufacturers 
in  which  was  given  a  certain  black,  scarlet  and  orange, 
and  which  makes  a  very  good  mahogany.  It  placed  in 
the  finisher’s  hands  the  colors  which  go  to  produce 
almost  any  shade  of  mahogany  stain.  In  speaking  of 
colors,  it  may  be  well  to  repeat  that  these  articles  are 
handled  with  the  general  understanding  that  by  colors 
we  mean  aniline  dyes. 

Many  of  the  finishers  are  using  this  formula.  With 
it  they  are  able  to  produce  and  match  anything  that 


SHELLAC  COAT 
FOLLOWS 
ALCOHOL  STAIN 
AND  NO  FILLER. 


WHY  SEDIMENT 
IN  MAHOGANY 
STAIN  ? 


172 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


AMOUNT  OF 
STAIN  POWDER 
DEPENDS  ON 
WOOD  AND 
SHADE. 


comes  along  in  the  mahogany  line,  but  the  buyer  in 
the  office  again  is  looking  at  price.  All  he  often  can 
see  is  the  number  of  pounds.  The  result  is  that  this 
formula  is  supplied  at  prices  varying  100  per  cent  or 
more. 

The  amount  of  stain  powders  requisite  depends 
upon  the  kind  of  wood  used  and  what  shade  is  to  be 
made.  The  colors  recommended  are  water  soluble,  and 
should  be  fast  to  light.  It  is,  however,  a  fact  that  many 
finishers  have  gotten  the  idea  that  the  addition  of  a 
little  lye  helps  set  the  color.  This  is  not  the  case.  If 
the  mahogany  stain  is  an  acid  color,  it  is  absolutely 
wrong  to  use  an  alkali,  such  as  caustic  potash  or  soda. 
It  merely  requires  a  certain  amount  of  color  to  neu¬ 
tralize  the  potash.  It,  probably,  works  out  this  way. 
The  alkali  present  may  help  to  penetrate.  The  stain 
seems  to  take  hold  of  the  wood  better. 

While  this  is  not  to  be  denied,  yet,  chemically 
speaking,  the  proper  addition  would  be  bichromate  of 
potash.  This  would  chrome  the  color,  would  be  a  nat¬ 
ural  mordant,  and  would  help  the  penetrating  of  the 
stain,  but  not  that  alone.  Bichromate  of  potash,  in 
itself,  has  a  color-giving  value,  and  especially  when  put 
on  mahogany.  Many  formulas  recommend  the  use  of 
one  ounce  of  bichromate  to  be  dissolved  in  a  gallon  of 
water  before  any  of  the  mahogany  stains  are  added. 
The  amount  of  color  can  be  offset  by  lessening  the 
amount  of  stain  powders. 

You  will  find,  too,  that  the  stain  will  not  lift  up  and 
in  sanding  not  so  much  of  the  color  will  cut  away. 
Acetic  acid  has  been  recommended.  Two  ounces  to 
the  gallon  of  stain  is  given  by  an  English  writer,  but 
from  actual  tests  made  from  this  formula,  it  is  a  ques¬ 
tion,  in  the  writer’s  mind,  whether  this  is  a  good  for¬ 
mula.  For  a  time,  chromic  acid  was  used  by  our 
finishers  and  chemists.  This  is  a  red  crystal  and,  in 
itself,  makes  a  good  stain;  but  on  account  of  its  cost 
and  on  account  of  its  corrosive  nature,  it  is  being  dis¬ 
continued.  When  this  acid  is  present,  stain  cannot 
be  kept  in  metal  tanks.  The  acid  is  rather  uncertain 
in  action,  and  certainly  cannot  take  the  place  of  its 
salt,  that  is,  bichromate  of  potash. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


QUALITY  NEEDED  IN  STAINING. 

WHETHER  or  not  you  are  using  mahogany,  or 
whether  you  are  using  imitation  woods,  you 
want  to  use  a  transparent  stain  and  a  filler 
which  will  not  mud  up  your  woods.  There  are  places 
for  water  stains,  for  oil  stains,  and  for  spirit  stains. 
But  it  is  a  peculiar  fact  that  water  stains  are  nearly 
always  used  on  the  high  grade  furniture.  The  cheaper 
the  furniture,  the  more  varied  are  the  products  that 
are  used  to  produce  the  colors.  But  we  are  not  dis¬ 
cussing  the  merits  of  stains — we  are  talking  about 
transparent  stains,  and  as  most  of  the  muddy  colors 
are  offered  on  imitation  woods,  the  following  procedure 
for  birch  is  recommended: 

For  imitation  mahogany  where  birch  is  used,  pre¬ 
pare  the  first  coat  by  dissolving  a  pound  of  potash  in 
50  gallons  of  water,  and  enough  of  bichromate  of 
potash  to  give  this  water  a  decided  orange  brown  look. 
When  these  are  thoroughly  dissolved,  add  one  half 
pound  of  mahogany  stain,  made  up  of  the  red  and 
brown,  in  such  proportions  as  you  would  use  to  pro¬ 
duce  the  shade  you  are  using,  were  it  used  full  strength. 
Apply  this  to  the  birch  furniture.  When  dry,  sand 
down  thoroughly ;  then  apply  the  stain,  made  up  of  the 
stain  powder  and  water  only,  but  with  bichromate  of 
potash.  Shellac  with  equal  parts  of  orange  and  white 
shellac,  then  varnish. 

You  will  notice  that  the  filler  has  been  omitted. 
When  this  method  is  used  birch  does  not  require  a 
filler.  It  is  because  of  this  filling  that  so  much  muddy 
imitation  mahogany  is  on  the  market.  Suppose  you 
have  a  piece  of  furniture  made  up  of  mahogany,  a  good 
deal  of  which  is  veneer,  and  where  the  pilasters  are  of 
birch.  Use  this  method  on  the  birch,  fill  your  mahog¬ 
any,  and  we  will  guarantee  that  the  birch  will  look 
much  better  than  had  it  been  filled. 

Some  of  our  best  manufacturers,  according  to  that 


TRANSPARENT 
STAINS  AND 
CLEAR  FILLER 
TO  BE  USED. 


174 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


BLOTCHY  WORK 
RESULTS  FROM 
OILING  BETWEEN 
COATS. 


FILLER  SHOULD 
MATCH  ONLY 
GENERAL  SHADE. 


traditional  method,  are  still  oiling  between  the  stain 
coats.  The  results  are  naturally  a  muddy,  blotchy 
imitation  looking  piece.  Cut  out  the  oil  coat — it  is  too 
expensive.  Your  stain  will  not  take  hold  evenly  and 
you  cannot  get  the  transparent  effect  on  the  mahogany. 
It  is  all  right  to  use  it  on  oak,  especially  in  making 
fumed  oak  with  stain,  but  it  is  absolutely  out  of  place 
in  the  production  of  imitation  mahogany  especially  if 
you  want  transparent  results. 

The  same  process  may  be  applied  to  gum  wood.  A 
thin  filler  may  be  used  according  to  the  quality  of  the 
furniture  turned  out.  But  the  filler  employed  must 
be  transparent.  Somebody  here  is  going  to  say,  “How 
can  a  filler  be  transparent?”  It  cannot  be,  but  there 
is  such  a  difference  in  filler  that  we  use  the  term  “trans¬ 
parent”  to  designate  those  that  clean  up  well  from 
those  that  paint.  Many  a  filler  has  been  condemned 
because  the  application  of  it  has  not  been  properly 
done.  By  transparent  filler  is  meant  one  that  is  made 
of  silex  and  not  one  that  is  made  up  of  starch,  or 
whiting,  or  the  very  many  other  substances  used  for 
filler.  We  are  not  discussing  the  qualities  of  filler, 
but  rather  that  which  in  the  filler  causes  the  muddy 
results. 

On  a  finely  grained  wood  the  filler  should  be  applied 
thinner,  and  it  must  be  cleaned  off  with  greater  care 
than  on  a  coarse  grained  wood.  On  a  coarse  grained 
wood,  such  as  oak,  where  the  pores  are  large,  and  the 
flakes  comparatively  harder,  the  filler  itself  will  clean 
up  easier.  But  where  the  wood  is  softer,  as  in  gum, 
it  will  adhere  and  form  a  paint-like  coat  unless  care  is 
taken  in  the  cleaning  up.  Do  not  endeavor  to  produce 
a  color  with  the  filler.  The  filler  should  match  only 
the  general  shade  of  the  wood  and  should  not  be  used 
as  a  shade  producing  material  like  a  paint.  It  is  wrong 
to  put  a  black  into  a  mahogany  filler.  That  color  is 
too  cold.  That  is  one  of  the  troubles  with  imitation 
mahogany.  There  is  something  about  it  that  is  cold. 
This  is  not  so  with  the  genuine  piece  made  of  the 
natural  wood.  The  filler  should  be  colored  with  Van 
Dyke  brown  and  rose  pink  which  will  produce  any 
depth  of  shade  desired.  When  the  filler  is  used 


QUALITY  NEEDED  IN  STAINING 


175 


judiciously  and  properly  cleaned  up,  the  colored  wood 
will  show  through  and  give  you  the  transparent,  and 
not  painted,  effect  that  is  wanted. 

The  foregoing  is  written  on  the  presumption  that 
water  stains  are  used.  Where  oil  stains  are  used,  the 
filler  may  be  omitted  on  either  birch  or  gum,  but  care 
must  be  taken  that  the  shellac  coat  does  not  lift  the 
color  and  give  you  uneven  results.  Where  spirit  stains 
are  used,  a  little  shellac  added  to  the  stain  will  help  to 
bind  it  so  that  the  subsequent  coats  will  not  lift.  Oil 
stains  are  preferable  to  spirit  stains,  and  usually  any 
shade  of  oil  stains  may  be  obtained.  The  transparency, 
too,  may  be  had.  The  men  applying  the  oil  stain  wrill 
soon  learn  that  they  must  not  lap  the  color  and  thus 
avoid  uneven  results.  For  quick  work  for  the  factory 
turning  out  quantities,  unquestionably  the  oil  stain  has 
taken  the  place  of  the  water  stain,  but  we  do  not  recom¬ 
mend  the  mixing  of  the  filler  in  the  oilstain.  That  is 
where  the  muddy  color  is  bound  to  come  in,  because  the 
filler  is  bound  to  be  deposited  in  a  thin  coat  over  the 
entire  work. 

It  is  impossible  to  cover  every  detail.  The  reader 
looking  for  specific  information  must  let  these  chapters 
serve  to  suggest  to  him  places  and  points  from  which 
he  is  to  obtain  results. 

I  cannot  write  that  which  will  apply  to  a  chair 
factory  making  two  dollar  chairs,  and  which,  at  the 
same  time,  will  answer  the  requirements  of  a  factory 
making  high  grade  bed  room  suites.  But  the  sugges¬ 
tion,  the  methods  offered  should  serve  to  prompt  ideas 
and  to  bring  out  results,  applicable  to  each  individual 
case. 


FILLER  MAY  BE 
OMITTED  WITH 
BIRCH  OR  GUM. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


UNIFORMITY  OF  COLOR  DESIRABLE. 

WATER  stains  are  generally  made  by  putting 
into  solution  color-giving  products  with  the 
design  of  having  this  color  permanent  and 
uniform.  In  recent  years  the  anilines  have  furnished 
practically  95  per  cent  of  this  material,  the  balance 
being  made  up  of  such  as  bichromate  of  potash,  sul¬ 
phate  of  iron,  chloride  of  iron,  chromic  acid,  from  the 
chemical  list,  and  from  the  vegetables  or  plants,  such 
as  logwood,  japonica,  chestnut,  fustic,  bloodroot,  mad¬ 
der,  etc.  The  latter,  however,  from  a  scientific  point  of 
view,  are  not  to  be  recommended  owing  to  the  fact  that 
it  is  rather  uncertain  as  to  the  strength  of  color  you 
are  apt  to  get  by  relying  on  any  one  sort  of  material 
for  color,  as  no  two  growths  will  give  the  same  per¬ 
centage  of  color-giving  material,  and  the  finisher  who 
makes  up  a  stain  of  this  class  must  keep  doctoring  his 
formulas  so  as  to  make  up  the  various  deficiencies  of 
organic  color  material. 

Even  if  these  are  used  in  connection  with  chemicals, 
the  fact  remains  that  they  are  rather  uncertain,  and 
therefore,  in  the  writer’s  opinion,  it  is  well  to  eliminate 
them  entirely  from  the  stain  category.  Further,  be¬ 
cause  there  is  not  a  known  shade  that  cannot  be  pro¬ 
duced,  and  better  at  that,  with  the  anilines.  The  few 
stains  that  are  being  made  today  solely  with  chemicals 
depend  mostly  upon  the  chemical  actions  that  they 
have  on  the  color-giving  materials  found  in  the  woods, 
such  as  the  oaks,  which  when  coated  with  various 
strengths  of  iron  solution  will  produce  from  light  gray 
down  almost  to  black,  depending  entirely  upon  the 
amount  of  tannin  (tannic  acid)  present  in  the  wood, 
and  the  strength  of  the  iron  solution  employed. 

It  is  known,  of  course,  that  it  does  not  matter 
whether  you  use  a  solution  of  sulphate  of  iron  or 
chloride  of  iron,  the  tannic  acid  has  an  affinity  for 
the  iron  and  thus  replaces  whatever  acid  may  have 


MOST  WATER 
STAINS  ARE 
ANILINES. 


178 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


TANNIC  ACID 
AN  IMPORTANT 
FACTOR. 


been  combined  with  it.  This  would  be  known  to  the 
chemist  as  a  chemical  change  in  which  an  acid  reaction 
has  taken  place  and  in  consequence  thereof  would  come 
under  the  classification  of  not  only  a  water  stain  but 
as  an  acid  stain.  On  the  other  hand,  take  the  same 
wood,  oak,  and  apply  to  it  a  strong  solution  of  caustic 
potash,  ammonia  or  caustic  soda.  These  are  the  strong¬ 
er  alkalies  or  solutions  of  salts  of  tartar  and  sal  soda 
which  are  chemically  carbonate  of  potash  and  carbonate 
of  soda,  making  the  weaker  alkalies.  When  either  the 
stronger  or  weaker  alkaline  solutions  are  employed 
they  will  produce  a  yellowish  brown  down  to  the  darker 
shades  of  brown,  thus  again  depending  upon  the  color¬ 
giving  material  naturally  present  in  the  wood. 

From  this  we  see  that  tannic  acid  plays  a  strong 
role  in  producing  colors  on  oaks.  The  difficulty  that 
arises  from  depending  upon  the  presence  of  this  color¬ 
giving  material,  tannin,  is  the  fact  that  it  is  not 
uniformly  present  in  the  different  boards.  The  fin¬ 
isher  does  not  know  from  how  many  trees  and  from 
how  many  different  places  the  trees  from  which  the 
boards  assembled  in  one  piece  of  furniture  have  come. 
Therefore,  he  cannot  expect  uniform  results  by  de¬ 
pending  upon  either  the  acid  or  alkaline  method  for 
producing  any  desired  shade,  but  he  can  take  advantage 
of  this  natural  state  of  affairs  and  augment  the  color- 
producing  chemical  by  supplying  the  deficiency.  This 
is  done  by  coating  the  wood  with  a  solution  of  tannic 
acid  and  then  applying  the  chemical  solution,  all  of 
which,  however,  must  be  worked  out  to  a  nicety.  Where 
a  certain  piece,  say  one  panel  of  a  table  top,  does  not 
match  up,  it  must  be  gone  over  until  the  desired  depth 
of  color  is  produced. 

There  is  still  another  method  available,  and  that 
is  to  employ  anilines  that  permit  of  mixing  with  acids 
or  acid-reacting  chemicals,  and  it  is  necessary,  there¬ 
fore,  that  the  finisher  supply  himself  with  colors  known 
as  those  belonging  to  the  acid  group.  Anilines  are 
broadly  specified  as  acid  colors,  basic  colors,  spirit 
colors,  oil  colors,  and  direct  colors.  For  the  furniture 
industry  the  chief  interest  lies  in  acid  colors  with  a  few 
direct  colors  that  can  be  mixed  with  the  acid  colors 


UNIFORMITY  OF  COLOR  DESIRABLE 


179 


but  never  using  a  basic,  spirit  or  oil  color  with  either 
of  the  other  two. 

To  exemplify  the  procedure  wherein  a  color  is  used, 
which  is  to  augment  the  results  obtained  when  it  is 
desired  to  take  advantage  of  the  nature  of  the  wood, 
and  the  chemical  reaction,  we  would  suggest  that  the 
wood  be  coated  with  a  5  per  cent  solution  of  tannic  or 
a  3  per  cent  solution  of  pyrogallic  acid.  After  dry, 
sand  lightly  and  apply  a  coat  made  up  by  using  four 
ounces  of  bichromate  of  potash,  two  ounces  of  caustic 
potash  to  the  gallon  of  water.  When  this  is  thoroughly 
dry  coat  with  raw  linseed  oil. 


WHAT  TO  DO 
WHEN  COLOR 
IS  USED. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


USE  OF  OIL  STAINS  IN  WINTER. 

THERE  are  so  many  ways  of  making  oil  stains,  so 
many  solvents  that  are  used,  that  to  put  one’s 
finger  on  the  spot  and  name  the  difficulty  without 
knowing  the  formula  employed  is  impossible.  Any  oil 
is  more  limpid  in  warm  weather  than  in  cold  weather. 
To  exemplify  this  we  need  but  refer  to  butter.  It  is 
easily  spread  in  warm  weather,  but  it  is  more  difficult 
in  cold,  and  it  is  a  peculiar  fact  that  the  chill  it  receives 
from  being  in  the  refrigerator  is  altogether  different 
from  that  of  zero  weather. 

I  bring  this  to  the  reader’s  mind  and  ask  him  to 
bear  it  in  mind  when  using  oil  stains.  If  he  does  so 
he  will  overcome  a  good  many  of  the  difficulties.  For 
in  cold  weather  oil  stains  do  not  spread  well,  do  not 
penetrate  as  well,  and  if  the  material  to  be  stained  is 
brought  in  from  a  cold  room,  the  troubles  are  more 
numerous.  Oil  stains,  which  are  built  up  with  resinous 
material,  such  as  japans  and  cheap  varnish,  are  those 
which  will  be  affected  by  the  cold  weather.  Not  only 
are  these  difficult  to  work,  but  the  color  is  apt  to  be 
heavier  and  the  brush  marks  are  often  lapped.  The 
oil  stain,  in  which  the  finisher  incorporates  some  of  the 
filler  material,  is  not  excluded,  for  as  a  rule  a  com¬ 
position  stain  carries  with  it  a  certain  amount  of  this 
resinous  material.  In  consequence,  the  spreading  and 
the  penetrating  qualities  are  absolutely  different  than 
during  the  summer  weather,  at  which  time  the  material 
works  at  its  best. 

In  many  formulas  that  have  been  given  for  pro¬ 
ducing  oil  stains,  in  which  the  solubility  of  the  color 
depends  upon  the  stearic  or  oleic  acids,  and  where  ben¬ 
zole  constitutes  the  prime  solvent,  a  bit  of  rosin  should 
be  added  to  overcome  odor  and  give  color.  I  refer  to 
cases  in  which  the  solvents  named  are  used  with  ar¬ 
tificial  turpentine,  by  which  is  meant  those  distillates 
differing  from  naphtha  in  specific  gravity,  but  higher 


EFFECT  OF 
CHILL  ON 
STAINS. 


182 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


THE  THREE 
PROMINENT 
SOLVENTS  FOR 
STAINS. 


CREOSOTE  OIL 
DOES  NOT  MAKE 
GOOD  STAIN. 


than  the  kerosene  series  or  those  made  from  the  asphalt 
beds,  and  not  those  made  by  coloring  naphtha  and  by 
adding  fire  weed  oil.  These  stains  so  made,  when  em¬ 
ployed  in  the  ordinary  temperature  have  a  sufficient 
amount  of  penetrating  proclivities  and  evaporate  so 
fast  that  the  temperature  does  not  materially  affect 
them.  Their  evaporation  is  so  speedy  that  cool  weather 
is  rather  desirable.  The  main  necessity  is  a  circulation 
of  air. 

Creosote  oil,  gas  oil  or  crude  carbolic  acid  are  three 
of  the  prominent  solvents  used  by  stain  manufacturers, 
especially  those  making  shingle  stain.  They  also  enter 
into  the  furniture  stains  in  various  proportions.  The 
odor  is  disguised  by  the  use  of  oil  of  citronella  or  oil  of 
mirbane,  sometimes  a  bit  of  sassafras.  The  latter  two 
are  so  cheap  and  so  strong  that  the  quantity  required 
does  not  prohibit  their  use;  in  fact,  they  are  coal  tar 
derivitives.  They  belong  to  the  artificial  class  of 
volatile  oils.  The  sassafras  never  saw  the  sassafras 
tree.  In  the  stains  where  the  vehicle,  or  even  a  part 
thereof,  is  a  creosote  oil,  difficulties  are  usually  encoun¬ 
tered  in  zero  weather. 

In  a  recent  circular  letter,  a  clear  and  concise  rea¬ 
son  is  given  for  the  difficulties  that  are  now  being  re¬ 
ported  and  complained  of  by  those  who  are  using  oil 
stain.  A  statement  is  made  that  “creosote  salts  are 
just  as  characteristic  of  ordinary  creosote  oils  as  or¬ 
dinary  salt  is  characteristic  of  the  ocean  water.”  It 
is  claimed  further  that  it  is  just  as  foolish  to  expect 
ordinary  creosote  oil  to  make  good  stains  as  it  would 
be  to  expect  the  ocean  waters  to  be  good  for  drinking 
purposes.  They  are  both  too  salty.  When  the  ther¬ 
mometer  registers  close  to  zero,  a  barrel  of  ordinary 
creosote  oil,  gas  oil  or  crude  carbolic  acid  will  show 
from  10  to  20  gallons  of  residue  known  as  “creosote 
salts”  or  “crude  naphthalene.”  Good  as  this  “naph¬ 
thalene”  may  be  as  a  moth  preventive,  it  is  not  valu¬ 
able  when  you  are  buying  a  stain  solvent.  You  do  not 
want  a  third  of  it  to  be  a  solid,  and  absolutely  dele¬ 
terious  to  stain  materials.  Whether  this  naphthalene 
shows  as  a  residue  or  is  held  in  solution  in  the  oil  as 
is  the  case  in  wp^m  weather,  the  fact  remains  that  the 


USE  OF  OIL  STAINS  IN  WINTER 


183 


naphthalene  is  there  just  the  same,  and  is  bound  to 
cause  trouble  sooner  or  later. 

For  stain  purposes  you  want  oils  that  are  limpid, 
free  from  these  objectionable  salts.  Every  solvent  can 
carry  in  solution  only  a  certain  amount  of  solids.  If, 
therefore,  it  is  already  burdened  with  from  10  to 
30  per  cent  of  foreign  material,  its  solvent  qualities 
are  reduced  by  that  percentage,  which  is  present  as  a 
bi-product  or  adulterant.  Crude  naphthalene  is  so 
cheap  that  it  does  not  pay  the  manufacturer  to  remove 
it,  and  thus  it  usually  is  sold  in  the  creosote  oil.  The 
seller  of  the  oil  says  nothing  as  to  its  presence;  the 
stain  manufacturer  knows  nothing  of  its  presence  until 
a  complaint  arises  or  he  luckily  passes  over  a  period 
of  time  about  in  this  manner. 

His  stains  are  mixed  during  warm  weather  or  in  a 
warm  room,  and  are  consumed  in  the  same  manner.  If 
a  barrel  of  this  oil  happens  to  become  chilled  and  the 
naphthalene  crystallizes,  he  may  be  lucky  again  by 
merely  being  able  to  draw  off  the  thus  inadvertently 
purified  creosote  oil.  Once  more  any  difficulty  has  been 
avoided. 

While  this  makes  manifest  that  the  high  grade 
article  is  the  better,  it  at  once  gives  us  an  ordinary 
method  for  specifying  the  grade  of  oil  we  want  and  a 
method  for  detecting  the  naphthalene.  With  the  naph¬ 
thalene  some  chemists  claim  other  injurious  compounds 
present  are  crystallized,  thus  automatically  removing 
themselves.  While  treating  on  the  subject  of  crys¬ 
tallization  of  the  naphthalene,  etc.,  let  me  say  in  order 
to  establish  a  uniform  standard,  if  the  oil  is  purchased 
in  five  gallon,  ten  gallon,  or  even  barrel  lots,  it  is  desir¬ 
able  that  a  certain  definite  uniformity  of  results  in 
colors,  spreading  qualities  and  penetrating  qualities  be 
established.  Obtain  an  ordinary  hydrometer  for  heavy 
oils  and  a  hydrometer  jar.  These  should  not  cost  more 
than  75  cents  or  $1.00.  Take  the  specific  gravity  or 
reading;  then  chill  the  oil,  keep  it  in  a  freezing  tem¬ 
perature  and  again  take  the  specific  gravity.  You  will 
find  that  a  certain  percentage  of  solids  appears.  By 
pouring  off  the  limpid  liquid,  bringing  it  to  a  uniform 
temperature,  the  reading  will  be  different.  The  most 


LIMPID  OILS 
ARE  BEST  FOR 
STAINS. 


GETTING 
UNIFORMITY 
OF  RESULTS. 


184 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


USE  OF  LOADED 
OIL  BRINGS 
ON  TROUBLES. 


“doctoring" 

FORMULAS. 


opportune  time  for  this  experiment  is  during  the  freez¬ 
ing  weather,  as  a  lower  and  a  more  steady  cold  can  be 
obtained.  In  that  way  the  crystallization  of  the  im¬ 
purities  will  be  more  pronounced.  Having  established 
a  specific  gravity,  and  the  formulas  built  thereon,  it 
is  an  easy  matter  to  make  this  standard  a  specification 
of  future  orders. 

I  have  mentioned  that  this  impurity  is  injurious  to 
oil  stains,  and  I  will  endeavor  without  going  into  tech¬ 
nicalities  to  show  wherein  the  use  of  a  loaded  oil  is 
apt  to  cause  an  endless  number  of  troubles  which  are 
difficult  to  locate  and  which  vary  in  the  same  ratio  as 
the  amount  of  impurities  presented.  Take,  for  example, 
a  pet  formula  in  which  a  certain  amount  of  color 
material  is  given — say  eight  ounces  of  mahogany  oil 
soluble,  one  quart  of  benzole  in  which  to  cut  it,  and 
three  quarts  of  creosote  oil.  For  the  sake  of  argument, 
it  is  admitted  this  formula  has  been  working  satisfac¬ 
torily.  It  was  made  with  a  very  good  grade  of  creosote 
oil.  The  next  batch  comes  in  during  the  summer,  but 
is  loaded  with  25  per  cent  of  naphthalene.  It  works 
a  bit  heavier,  and  does  not  seem  to  have  the  penetrating 
power.  It  needs  to  be  doctored.  A  little  more  benzole 
is  added,  then  the  color  is  too  light  in  shade;  then  a 
little  more  color  is  added.  Right  here  is  the  first  mis¬ 
take.  We  have  left  our  regular  formula  and  com¬ 
menced  to  doctor,  and  in  all  probability  have  not  kept 
a  good  record  of  the  quantities  consumed  in  the  doctor¬ 
ing.  The  result  is  that  our  regular  formula  is  thrown 
in  the  air,  and  the  foreman  finisher’s  troubles  are  mul¬ 
tiplied. 

Still  he  keeps  fussing,  and  the  cold  weather  comes 
on.  Over  Sunday  the  factory  becomes  cold,  the  stain 
is  chilled,  the  naphthalene  has  taken  a  notion  to  sep¬ 
arate  itself  from  the  general  mixture  by  crystallizing 
and  settling.  If  this  were  not  all,  it  might  not  be  so 
bad,  but  it  has  such  a  peculiarity  of  taking  other  things 
with  it.  It  removes  a  portion  of  the  coloring  material 
in  various  percentages ;  first,  according  to  the  amount 
of  naphthalene  present,  and,  second,  depending  upon 
the  color  itself.  Some  coloring  material  is  more  readily 
attacked  and  affected  by  the  crystallization  and  the  pre- 


USE  OF  OIL  STAINS  IN  WINTER 


185 


cipitating  process  thus  enacted  than  others. 

This  stain,  which  has  gone  through  an  ordeal  of 
this  kind,  is  absolutely  changed.  If  the  change  be 
recognized,  there  is  an  opportunity  for  more  doctoring. 
But  the  chances  are  that  the  stain  will  be  allotted  to 
the  workman,  and  being  thinner  will  penetrate  deeper. 
This  will  help  to  retain  the  original  color,  but  more 
likely  the  color  will  be  found  several  shades  lighter 
than  it  was  intended  to  be. 

Were  this  the  only  difficulty  to  be  attributed  to 
this  series  of  solvents,  and  which  I  claim  can  be  avoided 
by  stipulating  that  this  series  of  oil  solvents  be  free 
from  naphthalene,  it  would  not  be  so  bad.  The  one 
objectionable  feature  in  the  disposition  of  naphthalene 
is  that  it  forms  a  coat  of  non-drying,  oil  appearing, 
waxy  surface  where  the  stain  has  been  applied.  It 
depends  in  great  measure  upon  the  kind  of  wood  to 
which  it  is  applied,  to  the  amount  of  gas  oil  present  in 
the  stain,  and  the  different  solvents  used  in  conjunc¬ 
tion.  The  greasy,  non-drying  propensities  of  a  gas  oil 
stain  often  have  been  attributed  to  the  stearic  acid 
which  is  one  of  the  constituents  of  oil  soluble  colors. 
But  the  truth  is  that  the  oil  gave  greater  trouble,  and 
that  without  its  use  there  would  have  been  sufficient 
penetrating  material  present  to  completely  distribute 
the  stearic  acid  in  the  pores  of  the  wood. 

Many  a  finisher  has  experienced  trouble  in  the  oil 
stains  “lifting”  when  applying  the  shellac.  This  is 
often  due  to  conditions  as  described  above.  The  alcohol 
attacks  the  naphthalene  and  with  it  comes  the  colors 
and  the  attending  troubles  by  the  use  of  an  oil  stain  in 
which  a  percentage  of  naphthalene  is  present.  I  do 
not  condemn  the  use  of  this  series  of  solvents ;  I  merely 
draw  out  the  difficulties  that  arise  during  cold  weather. 
They  can  be  avoided,  and  I  trust  that  I  have  made  it 
sufficiently  clear  so  that  the  finisher  will  know  and 
understand  the  means  at  hand  to  obviate  the  possi¬ 
bilities  of  trouble  of  this  order. 

A  permanent  finish  never  can  be  made  where  there 
is  a  large  amount  of  this  gas  oil  used.  Understand  me, 
I  mean  the  gas  oil  as  usually  sold.  To  exemplify  this, 
you  have  seen  a  house  built  where  the  shingles  were 


OIL  SOLVENTS 
SHOULD  BE 
FREE  FROM 
NAPHTHALENE. 


TROUBLE  IN 

'"lifting/’ 


186 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


PERMANENT 
FINISH  PRE¬ 
VENTED  BY  USE 
OF  GAS  OIL. 


stained  and  after  a  season  there  was  hardly  any  color 
left.  That  was  due  to  the  naphthalene  present  in  the 
creosote  oil.  Of  course,  had  these  shingles  been  treated 
as  furniture  is  usually  treated,  the  trouble  would  not 
have  been  so  apparent,  but  there  will  be  no  permanent 
oil  stain  where  the  main  solvent  is  one  of  these  oils, 
unless  you  insist  upon  the  same  being  free  from  naph¬ 
thalene. 

I  have  endeavored  to  emphasize  these  points,  be¬ 
cause  many  of  you  have  used  this  material  and  have 
heard  nothing  of  it  after  it  left  the  factory.  People 
are  becoming  more  critical ;  they  know  there  is  a  vast 
difference  in  the  quality  of  finish,  its  durability  and 
general  appearance.  The  foregoing  should  help  the 
reader  to  remove  a  possible  danger  and  obstacle  in 
attaining  good  results. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


SPECIAL  ENGLISH  OAK  FINISHES. 

THE  average  foreman  is  not  located  in  the  furni¬ 
ture  center  and,  therefore,  has  not  the  advantage 
of  his  more  fortunate  brothers  through  the  inter¬ 
change  of  ideas.  The  assistance  obtainable  through 
coming  in  contact  with  the  diversified  methods  of  fin¬ 
ishing  afforded  to  those  situated  in  the  midst  of  an 
industry,  he  is  denied.  This  chapter  is  written  to  give 
an  insight  into  the  methods  and  procedure  usually  em¬ 
ployed  in  the  making  of  these  special  finishes. 

Jacobean  is  usually  produced  by  the  use  of  an  oil 
stain.  Its  shade  of  a  reddish,  golden  brown,  with  high 
light  effects,  has  been  pretty  well  standardized.  The 
color  can  be  readily  produced  by  the  use  of  a  brown  oil 
soluble  color,  which  has  a  tint  toward  the  orange. 
Usually  an  oil  solution  is  made,  or,  rather,  the  color 
is  dissolved  in  hot  turpentine  to  which  two  pounds  or 
more  of  black,  preferably  drop  black,  ground  in  japan, 
are  added  to  a  three  gallon  mixture.  After  the  color  is 
thoroughly  established,  the  stain  is  applied  with  a  fitch 
brush,  but  care  must  be  taken  not  to  apply  it  too 
heavily,  for  when  it  dries  the  stain  darkens  consider¬ 
ably.  The  high  lights  are  produced  by  cleaning  off  the 
stain  in  the  center  of  the  panels,  etc.  It  is  entirely  up 
to  the  foreman  to  get  the  effect.  He  must  understand 
Jacobean  effect  and  carry  out  the  idea  of  the  period. 
The  design  of  the  furniture  usually  helps  him  out. 
There  is  no  difficulty  in  matching  the  color.  A  good 
golden  oak  oil  stain  will  make  a  first-class  base.  A 
little  experimenting  with  the  application  will  make  him 
proficient  in  that  part  of  the  procedure,  and  if  in  pro¬ 
ducing  the  high  lights  too  much  stain  is  removed,  it  is 
easily  replaced,  as  the  entire  color  scheme  is  produced 
before  the  finish  is  applied. 

Kenilworth,  which  is  very  similar  in  appearance, 
is  made  by  first  fuming  the  wood.  Load  the  fuming 
box  at  night  and  in  the  morning  the  wood  will  be  suf- 


INSIGHT  INTO 
METHODS  OF 
SPECIAL 
FINISHES. 


PRODUCING 
HIGH  LIGHTS. 


188 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


KENILWORTH 

FINISH. 


16th  century 

AND  STRATFORD. 


ficiently  fumed  to  proceed.  Then  stain,  using  fitch 
brush,  and  allow  the  stain  to  dry  24  hours.  This  stain 
is  practically  the  same  color  as  that  of  Jacobean.  The 
high  lighting  is  done  by  using  sandpaper  and  then 
dusting.  Give  one  coat  of  white  shellac,  sand  smooth 
and  apply  a  flat  finish.  The  selection  of  the  color  of 
this  stain,  and  depth  of  shade,  depends  upon  the  Kenil¬ 
worth  that  you  are  trying  to  produce.  A  golden  oak 
oil  soluble  stain  is  usually  used.  But  every  foreman 
finisher  knows  that  a  good  deal  of  his  shade  depends 
upon  the  amount  of  turpentine  that  is  used  in  cutting 
the  stain  powder.  To  lay  down  a  definite  formula  in 
this  case  would  be  the  recommendation  of  certain 
makes  of  golden  oak  oil  stain.  The  selection  of  this, 
therefore,  is  left  to  the  finisher.  If,  however,  he  wishes 
to  prepare  his  own  golden  oak  oil  stain,  this  can  be  done 
readily  by  taking  oil  black  as  a  base  and  adding  orange, 
yellow  and  red  until  the  shade  of  golden  oak  desired  is 
produced.  It  is  not  necessary  to  produce  the  shade 
of  golden  oak  that  is  used  in  this,  but  better  to  produce 
the  shade  of  color  that  you  wish  in  making  your  Kenil¬ 
worth. 

Another  formula  would  be  to  dissolve  oil  black  in 
turpentine  and  add  it  to  asphaltum.  This,  however, 
would  require  more  experimenting  than  to  take  the 
colors  themselves,  and  would  be  apt  to  prove  uncer¬ 
tain,  as  the  different  lots  of  asphaltum  vary  in  color. 

The  finish  known  as  Sixteenth  Century  is  produced 
in  a  similar  manner,  with  the  exception  of  the  fuming 
proposition,  which  is  embodied  in  the  production  of 
Kenilworth. 

Stratford  oak  is  produced  in  a  very  similar  manner. 
After  the  work  is  fumed  a  coat  of  dark  brown  is  ap¬ 
plied.  When  dry,  a  filler  that  has  a  slight  pinkish 
cast  is  given,  not  with  the  idea  of  filling  the  wood  but 
to  give  the  pores  a  pinkish  color.  Then  give  two  coats 
of  wax. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


BIRCH  AND  ITS  VARIOUS  FINISHES. 


BIRCH,  one  of  our  well  known  native  woods,  is 
slowly  but  surely  becoming  recognized  as  a 
strong  factor  in  wood  industries.  It  has  a  good 
many  qualities  that  are  suited  for  cabinet  work,  notable 
among  which  are  its  strength,  and  that  it  gives  a  good 
surface  and  sands  well.  In  finishing,  the  grain  does 
not  raise  much,  and  the  price  also  goes  to  give  it  con¬ 
sideration.  It  is  the  writer’s  opinion  that,  inasmuch 
as  factories  have  undertaken  the  experimenting  with 
this  wood  for  furniture,  its  use  will  become  large. 

Birch,  as  found  in  the  market,  is  rarely  quartered. 
There  must  be  a  reason  for  this,  and  there  is  a  grow¬ 
ing  belief  this  style  of  sawing  will  be  adopted  as  the 
demand  for  the  wood  increases,  especially  if  it  is  to  be 
employed  in  the  better  grades  of  furniture.  For  com¬ 
mon  and  medium  grades,  it  is  most  desirable,  and  if 
selected  stock  could  be  had,  or  the  curly  birch  were 
plentiful,  undoubtedly  we  would  see  more  birch  fur¬ 
niture. 

I  believe  that  the  one  peculiarity  of  this  wood  can 
best  be  explained  in  the  word  of  a  man  who  has  had 
considerable  experience  with  it.  He  says :  “The  only 
difficulty  I  have  found  in  employing  birch  is  the  fact 
that  often  it  seems  to  grow  both  ways;  that  is,  when 
you  look  down  a  piece  this  way,  the  finish  is  elegant, 
turn  it  about  and  it  is  dark.”  This  is  due  to  the  fact 
that  birch  often  presents  end  growth,  which  is  very 
susceptible  to  the  stain,  and,  of  course,  will  show  up 
much  darker  than  the  rest  of  the  work;  not  at  all  a 
pleasant  feature  when  it  makes  its  appearance  in  the 
center  of  a  panel,  or  some  large  surface,  for  we  all 
know  that  high  grade  furniture  depends  upon  its  uni¬ 
formity  of  the  wood  in  each  individual  piece.  It  is  a 
question  in  my  mind  whether  a  good  deal  of  this  could 
not  be  done  away  with  if  the  wood  were  quartered. 
Birch  makes  an  elegant  wood  for  chairs.  It  takes 


BIRCH  AS  A 
STRONG 
CABINET  WOOD 


/ 


DIFFICULTY  IN 

MATCHING 

BIRCH. 


190 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


BIRCH  NOT 
ADAPTED  TO 
GRAY  FINISH. 


PLEASING 
SHADES  ARE 
PRODUCED 
ON  BIRCH. 


finishes  most  beautifully.  I  believe  a  mistake  has  been 
made  in  the  attempt  to  make  a  gray  color  for  it  to 
imitate  gray  maple,  or  the  various  grays  that  have 
been  put  on  oak.  The  texture  of  the  wood  is  not 
adapted  for  a  good  gray.  The  gray  that  can  be  pro¬ 
duced  may  suit  some  people,  but  it  will  never  be  in 
competition  with  maple  or  oak  for  gray  finishes.  There 
is  a  certain  vein  in  birch  that  when  stained  persists  in 
giving  a  yellowish  tone  which  clashes  with  the  gray, 
and  my  experiments  have  shown  that  an  entirely  dif¬ 
ferent  line  of  endeavor  should  be  employed  for  pro¬ 
ducing  a  finish  that  will  help  to  popularize  birch  as  a 
cabinet  wood. 

It  has  been  put  out  as  “fumed  birch,”  and,  consid¬ 
ering  the  innovation,  has  been  quite  successful.  The 
experiments  thht  were  made  and  the  formulas  obtained 
are  quite  interesting.  Beautiful  satiny  brown  finishes 
are  quite  possible,  then  if  the  laying  of  the  wood  is 
given  sufficient  attention  so  that  similar  grains  and 
figures  are  joined  together,  the  natural  beauties  of  the 
wood  will  help  to  augment  the  general  results.  It  has 
been  found  that  the  coating  of  the  wood  with  a  tannic 
acid  solution,  and  when  thoroughly  dried  with  solution 
of  bichromate  of  potash  or  bichromate  of  soda,  which 
at  this  time  is  much  cheaper,  produces  a  beautiful  and 
pleasing  shade. 

Another  formula,  which  is  very  similar  to  fumed 
oak,  gives  a  good  fumed  oak  color.  By  this  color  is 
meant  the  shade  of  brown  that  is  now  called  “standard 
fumed  oak.”  The  first  coat  is  made  up  of  pyrogallic 
and  tannic  acids,  one  half  ounce  of  each  to  the  gallon ; 
then,  without  sanding,  a  second  coat  made  as  follows 
is  applied:  Two  ounces  of  dried  carbonate  of  soda, 
one  ounce  of  bichromate  of  soda  in  a  gallon  of  water, 
to  which  is  added  ammoniacal  solution  of  copper 
sulphate.  This  is  made  as  follows :  One  ounce  of 
sulphate  of  copper  dissolved  in  eight  ounces  of  water, 
to  which  is  added  26  degree  ammonia,  until  a  precipi¬ 
tate  is  formed,  and  then  continue  to  add  the  ammonia 
until  this  precipitate  is  redissolved.  The  ammoniacal 
solution  of  copper  is  added  to  the  gallon  of  carbonate 
and  bichromate  of  soda  solution.  This  second  coat 


BIRCH  AND  ITS  VARIOUS  FINISHES 


191 


is  applied  over  the  acid  coat  with  the  resultant  brown, 
sanded  slightly,  and  a  very  thin  coat  of  white  shellac 
applied,  and  waxed.  The  best  velvety  or  satiny  finish 
is  obtained  with  a  Circassian  coat  varnish,  or  a  similar 
product.  It  is  found  that  most  any  shade  of  brown  can 
be  made  on  birch;  in  fact,  any  stain  that  one  may 
desire  may  be  applied,  but  the  idea  is  to  get  a  color 
that  will  go  with  the  trade. 

There  is  more  cheap  and  medium  priced  furniture 
made  than  high  grade  furniture,  and  the  consumption 
by  the  public  is  far  greater  in  number  of  pieces  in 
these  two  named  classes.  Birch  furniture  made  in 
popular  designs,  and  supplied  to  the  trade  with  a 
popular  finish,  such  as  its  higher  priced  competitor, 
fumed  oak,  finds  a  good  market. 

Like  mahogany,  birch  fills  a  certain  place  in  the 
construction  of  some  grades  of  furniture,  especially 
in  such  parts  where  strength  is  desired,  and  so  it  has 
become  natural  for  the  manufacturer  consuming  birch 
in  this  manner  to  say  that  he  wants  a  stain  for  birch. 
By  that  he  means  a  stain  that,  when  applied  to  the 
birch,  will  harmonize  with  the  stain  that  he  is  putting 
on  that  portion  of  the  piece  which  is  made  up  of 
mahogany,  whether  solid  or  veneer.  Now  that  brown 
mahogany  is  in  vogue,  it  is  only  necessary  to  take 
the  same  material  and  apply  it  heavier  to  the  birch, 
but  it  would  be  better  to  make  a  stronger  solution  for 
the  birch  wood.  A  great  mistake  has  been  that  fin¬ 
ishers  will  persist  in  filling  the  birch  with  the  rest  of 
the  piece.  This  has  a  tendency  to  give  the  birch  a 
muddy  appearance.  If  you  have  a  good  penetrating 
stain,  the  color  will  be  deep  enough  and  the  surface 
smooth  enough  so  that  filling  is  absolutely  useless. 
Should  it  be  that  the  stain  does  not  take  hold,  add  an 
ounce  of  acetic  acid  to  each  quart  of  stain.  This  will 
assist  the  stain  to  penetrate  to  such  an  extent  that  the 
color  will  be  uniform  and  obviate  the  use  of  any  filler. 

Undoubtedly  brown  mahogany  is  a  finish  that  will 
be  more  typical  of  mahogany,  and  in  consequence  more 
difficult  to  produce  satisfactorily  on  birch.  That  would 
be  a  reason  for  the  production  of  a  pleasing  shade  of 
brown  and  make  it  typical  of  birch.  Gum,  when 


BIRCH  TAKES 
ANY  SHADE 
OF  BROWN. 


BROWN  MA¬ 
HOGANY  HARE 
TO  PRODUCE 
ON  BIRCH. 


192 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


BIRCH  MAKES 
BEAUTIFUL 
IMITATION  OF 
CHERRY. 


BIRCH  CAN 
BE  FUMED. 


slightly  stained,  and  given  a  coat  of  orange  shellac  and 
dark  varnish,  produces  a  beautiful  brown.  It  is  a  dif¬ 
ferent  shade  of  brown;  it  carries  with  it  just  enough 
originality  to  differentiate  it  from  other  woods,  and 
therefore,  in  the  making  of  a  finish  for  birch,  there  is 
a  possibility  of  striking  a  shade  that  will  typify  birch 
as  an  individual  wood,  which  will  later  become  popular 
in  its  own  cast. 

If  curly  birch  were  plentiful,  the  plain  wood  would 
not  have  to  be  considered  now.  That  is  not  the  case, 
and  as  long  as  we  realize  that  birch  is  becoming  a 
factor  in  cabinet  woods,  it  is  best  at  once  to  establish 
a  finish  for  it.  Birch  will  make  beautiful  imitation 
cherry.  Care  must  be  taken,  however,  not  to  give  it  a 
red  tone,  for  cherry,  when  finished  as  it  should  be,  has 
a  very  pleasing,  mild  color,  due  only  to  its  own  con¬ 
stituents.  The  trouble  is,  and  has  been,  that  in  attempt¬ 
ing  to  imitate  cherry,  the  results  have  been  too  much 
on  the  red  lines.  A  dark  toona  mahogany  finish  by 
some  would  be  called  a  cherry  when  put  on  birch. 
The  stain  to  be  employed  on  birch  to  produce  cherry, 
above  all  things,  must  be  free  from  any  sediment.  It 
must  be  a  penetrating  stain,  and  made  up  of  strong 
material  so  that  a  small  quantity  of  stain  powder  will 
give  the  desired  color. 

It  is  not  at  all  impossible  to  fume  birch,  but  it  does 
require  a  coat  of  tannic  or  pyrogallic  acid,  or  a  com¬ 
bination  of  both  of  the  acids  to  produce  a  good  fumed 
effect.  Then,  before  a  finish  is  put  on,  the  wood  is 
given  a  thorough  oiling;  this  permitted  to  dry  for  24 
hours,  or  if  a  kiln  is  employed,  12  hours,  then  proceed 
with  the  regular  finishing.  Birch  will  give  a  beautiful 
fumed  color.  There  is  no  more  ideal  wood  for  hotel 
furniture  than  this  birch.  It  is  durable,  hard,  and  will 
stand  and  endure  the  rough  usage  to  which  hotel  fur¬ 
niture  is  subjected. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


*■ 

THE  FINISHING  OF  AMERICAN  WALNUT. 


SINCE  our  native  walnut  has  again  become  popular, 
the  finisher  is  confronted  with  new  problems, 
one  of  which  is  the  correctness  of  the  color  in 
which  this  wood  should  be  finished.  One  of  the  prob¬ 
lems  is  due  to  the  fact  that  manufacturers  have 
bleached  the  wood,  and  this  bleaching  process  has  been 
carried  on  by  different  methods  and  to  different  de¬ 
grees.  We  are  just  as  much  at  sea  relative  to  the  cor¬ 
rect  shade  for  American  walnut  as  we  have  been  on 
many  of  the  other  new  styles  of  finishes.  Uniformity, 
of  course,  is  almost  a  necessity.  That  nature  does 
not  produce  her  wares  upon  certain  definite  standards 
is  unfortunate.  Black  American  walnut  varies  the 
same  as  any  other  wood,  but  being  a  dark  wood  we  find 
a  greater  amount  of  difference  in  the  shade,  probably 
due  to  the  locality  from  which  the  tree  was  taken. 

In  conversation  with  one  of  the  best  foreman  fin¬ 
ishers,  he  said  that  he  did  not  know  why  walnut  should 
be  bleached,  unless  it  is  that  some  one,  somewhere,  ran 
onto  some  light  wood  and  in  order  to  match  it,  bleached 
the  next  piece,  and  in  this  manner  the  lighter  shades 
became  known  and,  of  course,  imitated.  As  long  as 
a  light  shade  of  American  walnut  is  supplied,  the  fin¬ 
ishing  department  of  necessity  will  be  compelled  to 
furnish  the  lighter  shade,  and  to  produce  it  with  what¬ 
ever  means  at  hand.  Should  the  tide  of  favor  turn  to 
a  darker  finish,  it  would  be  easier  to  meet  the  demands, 
as  in  that  case  it  would  require  only  the  staining  of 
the  wood  to  the  depth  of  the  darker  finish. 

I  was  shown  some  bleached  American  walnut  that 
was  of  a  lighter  shade  than  Circassian,  and  it  may  be 
that  the  attempt  is  being  made  to  bleach  the  American 
walnut  so  it  can  be  used  in  place  of  Circassian.  If  a 
process  can  be  simplified  so  that  the  work  may  be  done 
in  the  finishing  room,  it  may  open  one  more  avenue 
for  the  consumption  of  a  native  wood.  This  piece  of 


WHAT  IS  BEST 
FINISH  FOR 
AMERICAN 
WALNUT  ? 


MAY  BE  USED 
BLEACHED. 


194 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


advises  use 

OF  RICH  BROWN 
WITH  VAN 
DYKE  FILLER. 


HOW  THE 
BLEACHING 
IS  DONE. 


wood  was  about  one-fourth  inch  thick,  and  was 
bleached  at  least  one-sixteenth  inch,  in  fact,  the  color 
was  much  lighter  than  Circassian.  The  method  just 
now  is  unknown,  but  we  hope  to  be  able  to  give  it  to 
our  readers  after  further  experimentation.  What  the 
manufacturer  will  call  this  bleached  wood  is  a  problem, 
and  what  there  is  to  be  gained  by  the  introduction  of 
such  an  extreme,  remains  to  be  seen.  Woods  mellow 
with  age,  and  I  cannot  imagine  anything  more  har¬ 
monious  than  a  good  rich,  brown  finish  on  American 
walnut.  My  conception  for  a  finish  for  this  native 
wood  would  be  a  rich  brown,  transparent  color,  with  a 
Van  Dyke  filler,  well  cleaned  off.  two  coats  of  oil,  and 
varnish  without  shellac,  rubbed  dull.  This  would  pro¬ 
duce  something  that  would  have  an  air  of  elegance 
about  it,  especially  if  the  design  were  commensurate. 

Light  colored  woods,  to  the  writer’s  mind,  unless 
the  design  alone  can  produce  it,  will  not  give  the  lasting 
qualifications  that  a  piece  of  furniture  should  have  to 
bespeak  refinement.  It  must  be  remembered  in  the 
finishing  room  that  it  is  easier  to  match  shades  that  are 
darker  than  the  natural  wood,  than  to  attempt  to  match 
shades  by  a  bleaching  process. 

The  manufacturer  alive  to  the  situation  will  pro¬ 
duce  in  his  line  something  of  the  darker  shades,  and  I 
am  willing  to  prophesy  that  the  darker  shade  will  be 
the  one  that  will  find  favor  with  the  home  furnisher. 
Hotels  may  desire  the  special  bleached  finish,  which  is 
another  reason  why  American  walnut  designed  for  the 
home  should  be  different  than  that  turned  out  for  pub¬ 
lic  places.  The  production  of  the  bleached  finish  is 
usually  attained  by  first  bleaching  the  wood  with  the 
several  bleaching  compounds  that  are  at  hand.  Chlori¬ 
nated  lime,  ofttimes  misnamed  chloride  of  lime,  is  a 
favorite  bleaching  agent.  It  can  be  purchased  on  the 
market  in  tin  cans,  the  contents  of  which  is  diluted 
with  water,  and  the  work  coated  with  this  mixture. 
The  chlorine  gas  retained  is  the  bleaching  agent. 

A  very  efficient  method,  but  which  is  now  pro¬ 
hibitive  owing  to  the  price  of  material,  is  the  use  of 
permanganate  of  potash  and  oxalic  acid  or  hypo¬ 
sulphite  of  soda.  The  potash  is  a  purple  chemical, 


THE  FINISHING  OF  AMERICAN  WALNUT 


195 


giving  first  a  purple  color  to  the  wood,  changing  to  a 
brown.  The  bleaching  is  then  accomplished  by  the 
second  coat  of  oxalic  acid.  Oxalic  acid  is  a  white  crys¬ 
tal,  of  which  about  a  5  per  cent  solution  is  required 
to  overcome  the  permanganate  of  potash.  A  better, 
but  cheaper,  reagent  for  bleaching  the  permanganate 
is  the  hyposulphite  of  soda.  This  is  an  American 
product  and  can  be  bought  for  about  three  cents  per 
pound.  Unfortunately,  it  has  little  or  no  effect  when 
applied  by  itself. 

The  use  of  peroxide  of  hydrogen  gives  very  good 
results,  especially  if  this  material  can  be  obtained 
freshly  made,  but  it  is  rather  expensive,  yet  very  cer¬ 
tain.  A  good  stock  solution  to  have  in  every  finishing 
department  is  a  solution  known  as  chlorinated  soda. 
It  is  a  simple  but  efficient  bleaching  agent,  and  while 
not  as  rich  in  chlorine  as  the  chlorinated  lime,  owing 
to  its  alkalinity,  it  has  a  peculiar  effect  upon  the  wood, 
which  seems  to  give  the  small  amount  of  chlorine  pres¬ 
ent  a  greater  opportunity  for  bleaching.  Then,  too, 
if  first  applied,  followed  with  peroxide  of  hydrogen,  a 
very  effective  bleaching  process  will  be  obtained. 

There  are  a  few  chemical  processes  that  will  bleach 
wood,  but  it  would  be  difficult  to  employ  them  in  the 
woodworking  industry.  They  may  prove  satisfactory 
in  the  laboratory,  but  not  practical  in  the  finishing 
room.  After  the  wood  has  been  bleached,  the  usual 
method  is  to  give  it  a  stain  made  up  of  walnut  crystals, 
to  which  is  added  a  small  quantity  of  a  solution  of 
nigrosine  and  mahogany  red.  At  best,  this  is  a  weak 
stain.  The  red  gives  it  the  warm  tone  that  seems  to 
be  so  desirable  in  the  production  of  the  present 
American  walnut  finish.  The  amount  of  real  finishing 
on  American  walnut  is  rather  scant,  although  the  bet¬ 
ter  grade  of  furniture  seems  to  carry  with  it  a  little 
more  varnish.  It  does  seem  a  pity  to  take  the  elegant 
design  and  made-up  pieces  of  furniture  and  send  them 
out  with  a  coat  of  shellac  and  a  coat  of  inexpensive 
flat  finish. 


OTHER 
METHODS  OF 
BLEACHING. 


FINISH  ON 
AMERICAN 
WALNUT  IS 
TOO  SCANT. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


STAINING  WILLOW,  REED  AND  CANE. 

TO  PRODUCE  colors  on  willow,  the  operation  must 
be  divided  in  two  distinct  processes,  coloring  by 
immersing  in  hot  liquids,  or  staining  by  applying 
the  color  in  a  liquid  form ;  it  not  being  our  purpose  to 
suggest  the  producing  colors  by  painting  or  enameling. 

In  the  manufacture  of  willow  furniture,  where  a 
colored  willow  is  to  be  produced,  the  willow  usually  is 
prepared  by  putting  it  through  a  bleaching  process, 
which  is  subjecting  it  to  the  action  of  lime  water,  after 
which  it  is  dried  and  found  to  be  more  susceptible  to 
stains  or  colors,  whether  aniline  or  chemical,  or  a  com¬ 
bination  of  the  same. 

The  coloring  of  willow  can  be  carried  out  better  by 
applying  the  regular  dye  method  than  by  attempting 
to  produce  a  color  by  simply  immersing  in  a  colored 
solution. 

The  browns  are  the  more  desired  shades,  and  un¬ 
doubtedly  those  produced  by  chemicals  are  the  more 
satisfactory.  The  formulas  in  which  are  given  meth¬ 
ods  for  the  production  of  browns,  by  the  use  of 
permanganate  of  potash,  bichromate  of  potash,  pyro- 
gallic  acid,  etc.,  when  applied  to  the  coloring  of  reed, 
will  produce  many  shades  of  brown,  the  intensity  of 
which  may  be  augmented  by  the  addition  of  aniline. 

The  temperature  has  a  good  deal  to  do  with  the 
penetration,  and  should  be  kept  at  150  degrees  Fahren¬ 
heit,  and  the  stain  of  such  strength  that  excessive  dye¬ 
ing  is  not  necessary,  as  a  subsequent  drying  process 
will  take  much  more  time  where  the  reed  has  been 
completely  saturated  in  the  dye  bath. 

Beautiful  gray  shades  may  be  obtained  by  immers¬ 
ing  in  a  solution  of  tannic  acid  and  in  a  second  solution 
of  iron  chloride,  the  strength  of  each  producing  the 
shade  of  gray.  Where  grays  are  to  be  produced,  it  is 
well  to  select  well  bleached  reed,  as  the  natural  color 
of  the  reed  does  not  give  dainty  shades  of  gray. 


TWO  PROCESSES 
IN  COLORING 
WILLOW. 


THE  QUESTION 
OF  VARIOUS 
SHADES. 


198 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


ALKALIES  AND 
THEIR  AFTER 
EFFECT. 


SPIRIT  SOLUBLE 
COLORS  USED 
FOR  SHADES. 


Maroons,  dark  reds,  and  kindred  shades  may  be 
obtained  by  the  use  of  alkaline  solutions  of  logwood. 
Two  methods  are  used.  One,  to  boil  the  reed  in  a 
strong  solution  of  log  wood  extract  and  then  passing  it 
through  a  strong  alkaline  solution  such  as  sal  soda, 
which  on  account  of  its  cheapness  will  be  preferred. 
After  the  desired  shade  is  obtained,  care  must  be  taken 
that  the  alkali  is  washed  out  thoroughly  so  that  no 
detrimental  after-effects  are  to  be  expected  from  the 
presence  of  alkali. 

The  production  of  satisfactory  results  upon  reed 
or  willow  depends  upon  the  penetrating  qualities  of  the 
stain.  As  experience  has  shown,  this  material  does 
not  take  the  color  uniformly.  The  incorporation  of 
acetone  in  small  quantities,  carbolic  acid,  acetic  acid, 
or  oxalic  acid  in  their  order  named,  will  greatly  assist 
the  penetration  of  the  stain.  Certain  cases  will  answer 
to  the  addition  of  a  small  bit  of  alcohol  to  the  stain. 
An  acid  solution  of  an  aniline  may  be  found  not  to 
take  hold  at  certain  places,  whereas,  the  addition  of  a 
small  quantity  of  alcohol  will  prepare  the  way  for  the 
stain. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  enumerate  specific  formulas 
for  the  production  of  any  stain.  Suffice  it  to  say  that 
any  aniline  dye  generally  used  in  producing  stain,  the 
solution  acidified,  will  produce  the  stain  the  shade  of 
which  is  controlled  by  the  material  used.  In  cases 
where  absolutely  no  results  are  obtained  by  the  simple 
application  of  the  stain,  a  fairly  good  color  may  be 
made  by  using  spirit  soluble  colors,  producing  the 
shade  you  want  and  adding  a  pound  of  gum  shellac 
to  each  gallon  of  such  alcoholic  stain.  This  gum  will 
hold  the  colors  in  place  and  permit  the  subsequent 
finish  to  be  applied. 

Of  late  years  it  has  become  fashionable  to  stain; 
it  really  ought  to  be  called  coloring.  Cane  panels,  etc., 
have  become  quite  fashionable  in  modern  furniture, 
and  it  is  desirable  to  give  this  cane  an  harmonious  color, 
a  color  that  will  conform  with  the  style  and  general 
shade  of  the  finish.  It  is  practically  impossible,  owing 
to  the  glossy,  hard  surface  presented  by  cane  to  stain 
it  with  any  degree  of  uniformity  or  success. 


STAINING  WILLOW,  REED  AND  CANE 


199 


It  has  been  found  expedient,  therefore,  to  prepare 
a  mixture  of  colors,  using  the  pigments  ground  in  oil 
or  japan  in  such  proportions  as  will  produce  the  shade 
in  harmony  with  the  finish  of  the  furniture.  The  pro¬ 
cedure  is  as  follows: 

Before  applying  any  color,  give  the  cane  a  coat  of 
japan,  being  careful  not  to  allow  an  excess  to  be  ap¬ 
plied.  This  coat  forms  a  body  upon  which  may  be 
spread  uniformly  the  color  coat,  made  up  of  japan  and 
for  the  colors  of  umbers,  siennas,  etc.  This  coat  must 
be  thin,  and  carry  merely  enough  body  to  uniformly 
spread  the  color,  it  being  advantageous  to  repeat  the 
operation  rather  than  to  attempt  to  put  on  a  heavy 
coat.  The  final  finish  may  be  obtained  by  using  a  flat, 
or  Mission  finish. 

There  is  no  established  standard  for  this  work  and 
each  artisan  will  have  to  work  out  his  own  salvation, 
where  confronted  with  work  of  this  kind. 

The  use  of  a  bit  of  varnish  with  the  japan  and 
pigment  coat  may  be  found  necessary,  but  whatever 
is  applied,  it  should  be  short  on  oil,  and  quick-drying. 
The  work  must  not  be  gone  over,  as  that  has  a  tendency 
to  lift  the  pigment  from  one  place  and  to  deposit  it 
on  another. 


HOW  TO  GET 
A  MIXTURE  OF 
COLORS. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 


BROWNS  FROM  TANNIN  AND  POTASH. 


ON  application  of  one  to  two  ounces  of  tannic  acid 
dissolved  in  a  half  gallon  to  a  gallon  of  water 
to  oak  or  many  of  the  other  cabinet  woods,  and 
after  sanding  apply  the  piece  in  warm  solution  of  two 
ounces  bichromate  of  potash  or  soda,  and  raising  to  a 
temperature  of  100  to  125  degrees,  there  will  be  pro¬ 
duced  by  the  aid  of  the  carbonic  acid  gas  in  the  air, 
beautiful  brown  tints,  all  of  which  may  be  varied  ac¬ 
cording  to  the  strength  of  material  employed. 

This  process  will  produce  pleasing  shades  on  gum, 
pine,  and  other  soft  woods.  On  soft  woods  it  has  the 
faculty  to  bring  out  the  figure,  the  flakes  producing  a 
more  attractive  coloration  than  an  aniline  stain,  the 
surface  having  the  appearance  and  the  effect  of  a  dis¬ 
tinct  coloration  of  its  fibers,  especially  the  flakes.  The 
effect  is  of  greatly  enhancing  the  characteristics  of  the 
particular  growth  of  each  wood. 

In  applying  this  method  to  hard  woods,  care  must 
be  taken  to  obtain  uniform  application  so  that  no 
blotchy  work  may  result.  If  it  is  desired  to  obtain  a 
more  reddish  brown  cast,  this  may  be  done  by  adding 
pyrogallic  acid  to  the  tannic  solution.  It  is  well  to 
prepare  the  acid  solution  fresh  when  desired  for  use. 


GETTING  TINT 
DEPENDING  ON 
STRENGTH  OF 
MATERIALS. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 


BROWNS  FROM  POTASSIUM  OF  PERMANGANATE. 

POTASSIUM  permanganate  is  a  violet  crystal,  and 
its  stain  qualifications  depend  upon  its  peculiar¬ 
ities  of  producing  brown  shades  when  it  comes  in 
contact  with  organic  substances,  or  on  exposure  to 
the  air. 

The  solution  should  always  be  prepared  with  cold 
water.  The  application  of  this  stain  should  be  made 
with  a  sponge  and  not  with  a  brush,  as  the  bristles 
will  not  withstand  the  action  of  the  permanganate. 
When  first  applied  to  the  wood,  it  will  give  a  violet 
shade  which  will  gradually  turn  to  a  nut  brown,  and 
of  a  depth  in  direct  ratio  to  the  percentage  of  perman¬ 
ganate  employed  in  the  solution.  Where  a  deep  brown 
shade  is  desired,  a  second  coat  will  usually  produce 
results. 

The  use  of  permanganate  is  a  very  handy  method 
for  producing  brown,  particularly  where  it  is  desired 
to  match  some  other  finish,  as  in  the  case  where  too 
dark  a  shade  of  brown  may  have  been  produced;  it 
may  be  lightened  in  shade  by  the  sponging  with  any 
mineral  acid,  or  solutions  of  sodium  hyposulphite. 
This  method  will  be  recognized  as  the  same  as  that 
given  under  Bleaching,  and  often  taken  advantage  of 
for  the  imitation  of  inlay  wood,  accomplished  in  the 
following  manner:  After  the  entire  piece  has  been 
stained  brown,  paste  strips  of  paper  to  the  surface, 
leaving  such  parts  exposed  which  should  represent 
the  inlay ;  then  treat  this  exposed  surface  to  the  action 
of  hyposulphite  of  soda,  when  an  absolutely  white  wood 
surface  will  be  obtained.  Then  the  paper  is  removed 
by  laying  wet  cloths  or  blotters  thereon,  which  will 
soften  the  adhesive  and  permit  the  paper  to  be  taken 
off.  Lightly  sand,  and  it  is  ready  for  the  regular  fin¬ 
ishing  work. 


THE  WORK  OP 
COLD  WATER 
STAINS. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 


FADS  AND  FANCIES  IN  FINISHES. 

SINCE  the  introduction  of  the  Gift  Shops,  stores 
that  usually  offer  the  unique,  and  things  out  of 
the  ordinary,  there  is  being  created  a  demand  for 
small  odd  pieces  suitable  for  gifts.  The  workers  have 
taken  advantage  of  silver  gray,  kaiser  gray,  and  several 
other  grays,  making  the  goods  mostly  out  of  oak.  Prob¬ 
ably  no  wood  offers  the  possibility  of  a  larger  variety 
than  oak.  By  taking  advantage  of  its  beautiful  flake, 
and  large  pores,  staining  the  wood,  and  producing  a 
contrast  effect  by  filling  the  pores  with  various  pig¬ 
ments,  there  can  be  produced  an  endless  variety  of 
pleasing  and  attractive  effects.  In  order  to  get  the  best 
effects  by  the  introduction  of  the  various  fillers,  it 
becomes  necessary  to  have  a  comprehension  of  the  stain 
materials  employed. 

For  instance,  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  color  the  wood, 
and  then  to  put  some  radically  different  color  or  filler 
into  the  pores,  but  that  does  not  accomplish  the  artistic 
effect,  nor  that  pleasing  soft  tone  which  will  go  a  long 
way  towards  making  a  piece  of  furniture  or  a  novelty 
fascinating.  On  the  contrary,  the  more  one  studies  a 
creation  of  this  sort,  the  less  it  gains  in  favor.  The 
ground  work  must  be  stained  so  that  the  flake  sur¬ 
rounding  the  large  pores  will  take  on  a  correspondingly 
definite  color — a  color  which  is  in  harmony  with  this 
filler;  a  color  which  in  turn  is  to  produce  a  contrast 
that  at  once  makes  it  attractive  and  pleasing  to  the 
eye.  It  is,  therefore,  necessary  that  the  stain  present 
a  sharp  contour  about  the  flake,  and  be  softened  down 
to  the  center  of  the  flake,  leaving  the  appearance  of  a 
clear  surface. 

Naturally  one  would  select  for  this  purpose  quarter 
sawed  oak,  so  as  to  take  advantage  of  the  characteris¬ 
tics  of  the  wood.  The  wood  should  be  sponged  to  raise 
the  pores,  and  then  thoroughly  sanded.  If  the  pores 
are  not  sufficiently  opened  by  this  process,  the  result 


OAK  ADAPTS 
ITSELF  TO 
NOVELTIES. 


206 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


OAK  PERMITS 
OF  ARTISTIC 
COLORING. 


CLASSIFICATION 
OF  COLORINGS. 


desired  can  be  accomplished  by  going  over  the  work 
with  a  picking  brush,  and  thoroughly  dusting  it  off. 
Then  the  stain  is  applied,  and  this  should  be  done 
thoroughly.  The  application  of  a  stain  cannot  be  called 
thoroughly  applied  if  the  wood  be  simply  covered  and 
colored.  If  a  depth  of  color  is  to  be  produced  it  is  bet¬ 
ter  done  by  the  application  of  two  weak  coats,  than  by 
one  strong  coat.  There  will  be  less  danger  of  cutting 
through  when  sanding,  for  the  simple  reason  that  these 
fancy  finishes  are  seldom  more  than  shellaced  or  waxed. 

Oak  presents  an  almost  unlimited  amount  of  possi¬ 
bilities  for  artistic  colorings.  Especially  do  the  chem¬ 
icals  aid  us  in  producing  absolutely  permanent  stains. 
This  is  fortunate,  especially  in  finishes,  where  the  pro¬ 
tecting  coats,  such  as  two  or  three  coats  of  varnish,  are 
not  used,  but  instead  a  thin  coat  of  oil  and  a  bit  of  wax. 
The  following  classification  will  assist  those  who  may 
be  called  upon  to  produce  these  color  effects.  The  filling 
is  made  an  after-treatment,  but  the  similarity  of  pro¬ 
cedure  makes  it  possible  to  cover  all  cases  in  a  few  para¬ 
graphs,  and  will  be  given  in  a  separate  list. 

First — By  the  use  of  iron,  as  iron  sulphate  or  iron 
chloride,  in  its  various  dilutions,  grays  can  be  produced 
in  any  depth  of  color.  The  color  may  be  evened  up  by 
penciling  with  a  weak  solution  of  tannic  acid. 

Second — Rich  browns  can  be  produced  by  boiling 
catechu  and  bichromate  of  potash,  and  applying  the 
stain,  one  or  two  coats. 

Third — The  Persian  brown  by  applying  a  solution 
of  permanganate  of  potash,  permitting  it  to  stand  six 
or  eight  hours,  when  the  second  coat  should  be  applied. 

Fourth — Old  Oak — To  each  pint  of  water  add  one 
ounce  of  carbonate  of  potash  (salts  of  tartar).  When 
dissolved,  mix  with  an  equal  quantity  of  ammonia 
water.  Stain  the  wood,  and  let  stand  for  24  hours. 
Then  apply  a  solution  of  sulphate  of  iron,  one  ounce 
to  the  gallon  of  water.  This  will  produce,  according 
to  the  strengths  employed,  a  great  variety  of  oaks. 
The  process  may  be  carried  until  darkest  shade  of 
brown  is  produced. 

Fifth — Bichromate  of  potash  gives  yellow  tints ;  if 
carbonate  of  potash  be  added,  lighter  shades  of  brown. 


FADS  AND  FANCIES  IN  FINISHES 


207 


Sixth — The  application  of  pyrogallic  acid,  one  ounce 
to  the  gallon.  This  can  be  applied  to  the  sponging 
coat.  The  second  coat  made  of  one  ounce  of  nigrosine 
to  the  gallon  of  water,  and  if  a  deeper  brown  is  desired, 
add  a  small  percentage  of  the  iron  sulphate  solution. 

Seventh — The  application  of  a  tannic  acid  solution 
and  a  subsequent  coating  with  logwood  extract,  which 
has  been  dissolved  in  hot  water,  and  to  which  has  been 
added  a  5  per  cent  solution  of  sulphate  of  copper. 

Eighth— Any  aniline  color  that  will  produce  a 
staple  green,  such  as  acid  green,  applied  to  the  strength 
of  the  desired  color,  and  then  coated  with  a  5  per 
cent  solution  of  picric  acid. 

Ninth— Acid  green  solution,  sulphate  of  iron  solu¬ 
tion,  nigrosine  solution,  to  produce  the  deep  and  olive 
green. 

Tenth — Acid  green,  picric  acid  and  sulphate  of  cop¬ 
per,  on  sulphate  of  iron  to  produce  gun  metal  effect. 

In  giving  the  above,  let  it  be  distinctly  understood 
that  the  finisher  can  vary  his  shades  according  to  the 
strength.  But  the  key  given  will  produce  absolutely 
transparent,  penetrating  and  fast  to  light  colors.  Each 
stain  will  affect  the  flake  in  such  a  manner  as  to  be 
co-ordinate  with  the  filler. 

In  preparing  the  fillers  for  these  kinds  of  finishes, 
it  is  to  be  expected  that  they  will  be  made  of  har¬ 
monious  tones.  The  gray,  from  a  light  shade  of  gray 
which  will  be  filled  with  white  filler  mostly,  and  which, 
according  to  taste,  can  be  darkened  with  drop  black; 
the  browns,  in  contrast  with  the  shade  of  the  wood; 
the  greens  mostly  made  by  coloring  the  ordinary  filler 
with  chrome  green  and  darkened  with  drop  black.  But 
where  the  correct  shade  of  green  cannot  be  produced 
by  the  use  of  chrome  green,  color  the  filler  by  the  use 
of  ultra-marine  blue,  and  chrome  yellow,  and  getting 
it  dark  enough  by  the  addition  of  black. 

One  of  the  most  beautiful  effects  produced  and 
which  has  not  been  taken  up  in  our  country  to  any 
degree,  is  gun  metal,  so  called  because  a  metallic  effect 
is  produced  by  the  filler,  which  is  made  up  of  oxide  of 
lead,  commonly  known  as  plumbago  or  graphite.  This 
filler  coating  should  have  enough  japan  to  hold  it,  as 


TEX  SHADES 
AND  MANY 
VARIATIONS. 


FILLERS  MUST 
BE  OF  HAR¬ 
MONIOUS  TONES. 


208 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


GUN  METAL  A 

BEAUTIFUL 

EFFECT. 


MAPLE  OFFERS 
VARIOUS  AVAYS 
OF  COLORING. 


when  it  is  applied  it  is  more  difficult  to  hold  in  place 
than  any  of  the  other  pigments.  It  should  be  used  in 
a  very  fine  powder,  so  that  in  applying  it  to  the  wood, 
a  small  amount  of  it  will  be  drawn  out  of  the  pore  and 
blended  over  the  flake,  which  will  then  produce  the  gun 
metal  effect,  but  still  bring  out  the  beautiful  flakes  of 
the  oak. 

The  many  novel  shades  and  finishes  that  can  be 
produced  on  maple  and  oak  are  finding  their  way  slowly 
but  surely  into  the  market.  Especially  are  these  woods 
and  finishes  popular  in  the  finishing  of  cafes,  lobbies, 
store  fixtures,  window  decorations,  etc.  France  is  buy¬ 
ing  our  bird’s-eye  maple.  In  that  country  the  most 
delicate  shades  are  produced,  especially  in  the  gray. 
The  tensile  strength  of  the  wood  admirably  adapts  it 
to  many  of  the  dainty  lines  put  out  by  the  French  man¬ 
ufacturers.  The  satiny  finish  afforded  by  French  polish 
still  holds  forth  in  some  of  their  markets.  The  tra¬ 
ditional  clannishness  clings  and  the  impress  of  the 
Louis  periods  furniture,  we  are  told,  has  a  preference 
there,  rather  than  the  heavy  lines  of  our  Mission.  The 
French  get  more  out  of  a  board  than  we  do.  It  is 
only  to  be  expected  that  the  same  daintiness  of  color 
would  prevail. 

With  maple  there  are  various  ways  for  the  produc¬ 
tion  of  the  color.  At  one  time,  the  wood  could  be  pur¬ 
chased  already  colored,  but  for  the  occasional  produc¬ 
tion  of  this  color  on  maple,  nigrosine,  jet  black,  paper 
black,  anilines  are  the  series  which  will  make  a  fairly 
good  gray.  These  are  all  water  soluble,  and  should  be 
applied  hot.  It  will  be  found  that,  when  applied  cold, 
the  color  will  have  to  be  put  on  so  sparingly  in  order 
to  produce  a  light  gray  that  the  yellowish  tint  of  the 
maple  will  show,  and  an  uneven  color  will  be  the  result. 
Only  a  very  little  color  to  the  gallon  of  water  is  re¬ 
quired.  Were  it  not  for  the  fact  that  the  spirit  stain 
fades,  it  would  make  a  better  gray.  A  very  pleasing 
and,  undoubtedly,  the  best  results  are  obtained  by  the 
use  of  iron  salt  in  conjunction  with  a  good  permanent 
black  aniline.  For  the  finisher  to  have  a  uniform  result, 
one  to  be  relied  upon,  a  certain  amount  of  precaution 
is  necessary  in  the  use  of  the  iron.  Sulphate  of  iron. 


FADS  AND  FANCIES  IN  FINISHES 


209 


is  not  a  staple  salt  and,  therefore,  in  using  it,  it  is 
better  to  buy  the  dried  sulphate  of  iron  rather  than  the 
crystal,  or,  if  this  is  not  at  hand,  to  purchase  the  solu¬ 
tion  of  chloride  of  iron  which  is  of  definite  strength. 
The  shade  to  be  produced  is  then  merely  a  matter  of 
quantity. 

To  avoid  the  bluish  cast  which  is  sometimes  apt 
to  result  from  the  use  of  the  iron  and  the  nigrosine,  a 
bit  of  orange  should  be  used,  and  will  overcome  it.  All 
shades  of  gray  can  be  produced  in  this  way.  The  fine 
grain  of  the  maple  makes  it  necessary  that  the  finish  be 
of  an  absolute  uniformity  of  shade.  The  heart  of  the 
maple  tree  cannot  be  used  in  the  making  of  a  piece  of 
furniture,  as  its  brown  shade  cannot  be  overcome  by 
so  delicate  a  color  as  gray.  It  cannot  be  bleached  sat¬ 
isfactorily,  and  when  it  does  appear  in  the  made-up 
piece,  it  would  be  better  to  stain  it  as  an  imitation 
mahogany. 

After  the  stain  has  been  applied,  it  should  be  al¬ 
lowed  to  stand  at  least  24  hours;  but,  better  yet,  48 
hours.  Then  let  it  be  sanded  with  very  fine  sandpaper, 
and  polished  with  paraffine  wax.  This  wax  is  best 
applied  by  melting  it  and  thinning  with  a  substitute 
turpentine  such  as  turpaline,  or  terrabentine,  which 
has  no  color.  It  can  be  obtained  easily  by  demanding 
the  pure  article.  This  substitute  is  placed  on  the  mar¬ 
ket  in  such  a  manner  as  to  give  it  the  physical  appear¬ 
ance  as  well  as  odor  of  the  genuine  turpentine.  This 
is  done  by  adding  a  quantity  of  regular  turpentine, 
sometimes  a  bit  of  rosin,  and  fire-weed  oil.  None  of 
these,  however,  are  wanted  in  the  solvent  used  to  thin 
the  wax.  After  the  wax  is  applied,  let  it  stand,  then 
bring  it  to  a  polish,  and  the  second  day  after  it  has 
been  polished,  rub  in  a  circular  manner,  the  same  as 
French  polishing.  The  finished  work  should  have  a 
satiny  appearance.  Lacquer  takes  the  place  of  paraf¬ 
fine  wax,  but  it  will  not  withstand  the  usage.  It  would 
be  better  to  put  a  thin  coat  of  lacquer  on  the  stain  coat, 
and  the  wax  on  it.  This,  however,  is  a  matter  to  be 
considered  in  cost  of  production. 

Maple  is  used  as  imitation  cherry,  and  works  up 
beautifully  for  that.  It  is  also  used  as  imitation  mahog- 


HOW  BLUISH 
CAST  MAY  BE 
OBVIATED. 


FINISHING  OF 
MAPLE. 


210 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


NOVELTIES 
ON  OAK. 


RUSSIAN 

BROWN. 


any  and  in  various  other  ways  where  the  strength  of 
the  wrood  recommends  it. 

Among  the  novelties — but  always  made  on  oak — 
are  driftwood,  Kaiser  gray  and  silver  oak.  The  latter, 
however,  is  not  a  regular  gray,  but  still  must  be  classi¬ 
fied  with  the  grays  owing  to  its  style  of  finish.  On  oak 
a  gray  can  be  produced  in  the  same  manner  as  on 
maple.  The  stain,  however,  must  be  carefully  used. 
Avoid  lapping  of  brush  marks,  and  give  it  plenty  of 
time  to  take  on  its  shade.  The  iron  salt,  with  the  tannic 
in  the  wood,  produces  the  color  to  a  certain  degree, 
and  the  stronger  the  stain,  the  deeper  the  color.  The 
nigrosine  serves  to  modify  the  shades  and  to  kill  the 
blue  cast.  The  difficulty  is  the  fact  that  the  different 
pieces  of  wood  put  in  the  make-up  of  the  furniture  con¬ 
tain  different  percentages  of  tannin  and.  in  conse¬ 
quence,  one  is  apt  to  obtain  as  many  different  shades 
as  there  are  pieces  of  wood. 

If  it  were  possible  to  make  a  table  top  or  any  sur¬ 
face  out  of  one  board,  this  difficulty  would  not  arise. 
Knowing  how  to  produce  a  color  should  help  us  to  know 
how  to  make  it  uniform.  When  it  is  found  that  right 
through  the  center  of  the  stained  piece  there  is  a  light 
streak,  it  can  be  matched  up  by  taking  a  solution  of 
tannic  acid  and  coating  the  work  and  then,  when  dry, 
applying  successive  coats  of  very  weak  stain  until  it 
has  taken  the  depth  of  color  to  match  the  balance  of 
the  piece. 

Another  attractive  novelty  is  known  as  Russian 
brown,  a  beautiful  light  brown,  which  is  sometimes 
utilized  in  the  bird’s-eye  maple,  with  the  eye  taking  a 
darker  tinge. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 


BLENDING  WOODS  A  DIFFICULT  PROCESS. 

THE  usual  procedure  for  the  blending  of  golden 
oaks  to  uniform  the  colors  and  shade,  due  to  the 
difference  in  the  texture  and  kind  of  the  woods, 
is  a  problem  that  confronts  every  manufacturer  in  the 
woodworking  industry. 

The  most  reliable  remedy  is  the  blending  of  the 
shades  before  any  finish  is  attempted.  This,  however, 
is  rather  difficult,  and  should  be  attempted  only  after 
considerable  experience  has  been  had,  and  the  work¬ 
man  becomes  familiar  with  the  general  scheme  of 
equalizing  shades. 

In  golden  oak,  where  the  difference  in  shade  is 
brought  out  after  the  stain  and  filler  coats  are  applied, 
proceed  as  follows : 

Prepare  a  weak  stain  by  the  use  of  oil  black,  oil 
brown  and  oil  yellow,  the  shades  of  which  are  exem¬ 
plified  in  the  colors.  Make  three  distinct  solutions, 
one  ounce  of  color  to  the  quart  of  turpentine.  Of  these 
three  solutions,  use  a  sufficient  amount  of  each  to  pro¬ 
duce  a  light  stain,  but  of  the  same  tone  as  that  of  the 
present  appearance  of  the  work ;  that  is,  the  appearance 
of  the  stained  and  filled  work.  Apply  cautiously  with 
the  use  of  a  camel  hair  or  a  fitch  brush  to  the  light 
parts,  applying  repeated  coats  until  it  presents  the 
same  depth  of  color  of  the  darker.  When  uncertain, 
have  a  bit  of  naphtha  at  hand,  and  wet  the  dark  por¬ 
tions  which  you  are  trying  to  match  so  that  both  pieces 
can  be  judged  when  wet. 

For  bases  where  the  piece  of  wood  runs  from  a 
dark  shade  to  a  very  light  shade,  usually  on  extremely 
hard  pieces  of  wood,  it  will  be  found  that  the  darker 
piece  is  a  softer  piece  of  wood,  that  it  may  run  up- 
grain,  presenting  more  of  the  pores.  Consequently  a 
good  deal  more  of  filler  has  been  taken  on.  Here  it  is 
best  to  grade  down  the  shade,  from  the  dark  edge  to 
the  light,  reducing  the  amount  of  difference  gradually. 


BLENDING 
BEFORE  FINISH 
IS  STARTED. 


212 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


HOW  TO  MAKE 
A  BLENDING 
BRUSH. 


REDUCTION  OF 
ASPHALTUM 
MAKES  GOOD 
BLEND  STAIN. 


This  is  usually  done  by  making  a  brush  that  will  greatly 
assist,  as  follows :  Cut  the  hairs  diagonally,  so  they 
will  be  short  on  one  side  of  the 
brush,  and  full  length  on  the 
other,  then  chisel  them  down 
so  that  the  long  hairs  will  be 
full  thickness,  and  thinned  out 
to  the  short  side  of  the  brush. 

You  will  find  that  a  brush 
of  this  kind  will  carry  a  full 
coat  of  stain  in  the  long  fibers 
with  a  gradually  diminishing 
amount  of  stain  in  the  thin 
and  short  fibers,  and  that  it 
will  deposit  its  color  material 
in  a  similar  proportion.  The 
workman  in  this  way  will 
soon  learn  how  to  spread  the 
color  and  the  brush  will  save 
a  good  deal  of  time,  as  the  one 
dipping  will  deposit  the  most 
stain  where  it  is  required.  You 
can  readily  see  how  you  will 
take  the  light  piece  of  wood, 
where  it  shows  the  extreme 
difference,  and  grade  it  out.  It 
might  be  well  to  mention  here, 
that  on  the  cheaper  woods,  the 
simple  reduction  of  your  as- 
phaltum  with  turpentine  and 
naphtha  will  make  a  good 
blending  stain ;  always  bear¬ 
ing  in  mind  never  to  have  the  a  blending  brush 
stain  strong  enough  so  that  a 

complete  match  could  be  made  with  one  stroke  of  the 
brush,  as  in  that  case  you  would  be  very  apt  to  find 
the  blending  work  going  darker  than  that  you  are 
trying  to  match. 

The  strength  of  the  stain  rather  depends  upon  the 
aptness  of  the  workman.  It  should  be  thin  enough, 
and  a  sufficient  amount  of  naphtha  used  to  insure  quick 
drying  so  that  the  repeated  coats  can  be  applied  with- 


BLENDING  WOODS  A  DIFFICULT  PROCESS 


213 


out  the  stain  acting  in  the  capacity  of  a  varnish  re¬ 
mover.  In  that  case,  it  would  not  only  lift  the  stain 
originally  applied,  but  it  would  also  lift  the  filler,  and 
would  then  cause  an  uneven  deposit  with  the  result 
that  the  work  would  have  a  mottled  appearance. 

For  the  use  of  a  water  stain,  it  will  be  found  that 
this  will  work  very  nicely,  provided  sufficient  amount 
of  time  has  been  given  for  the  original  coats  to  dry. 
The  ordinary  workman  will  belittle  the  application  of 
a  water  stain  on  top  of  a  filled  piece  of  wood,  and  he 
will  tell  you  that  it  cannot  be  done.  Proceed  as  fol¬ 
lows: 

The  water  stain  will  not  lift  or  open  any  of  the 
pores.  In  short  grained  wood  or  cross  grained  wood, 
where  the  stain  takes  dark,  where  a  lot  of  filler  is  con¬ 
sumed  in  the  filling,  a  difficulty  can  be  avoided  by  first 
shellacing  this  coarse  part  with  a  very  thin  coat  of 
shellac.  This  will  hold  back  the  stain  coat  and  at  the 
same  time  hold  back  the  filler,  so  that  when  the  piece 
is  ultimately  finished,  a  uniformity  of  shade  is  the 
result. 

A  blending  mixture  recommended  for  the  use  of 
fumed  oak  and  which  can  be  applied  with  a  brush,  de¬ 
scribed  in  this  chapter,  is  made  up  as  follows : 

To  a  pint  of  alcohol,  add  a  half  ounce  of  Bismark 
brown,  spirit  soluble.  To  another  pint  of  alcohol,  add 
a  half  ounce  of  spirit  black,  alcohol  soluble.  When 
the  solution  of  each  is  complete,  pour  each  solution 
into  a  pint  of  white  shellac  and  shake  them  up  thor¬ 
oughly,  enough  of  the  Bismark  and  enough  of  the 
black,  to  obtain  the  proper  tone  for  blending,  until  it 
produces  the  correct  shade  desired  on  the  fumed  oak. 
For  instance,  if  sapstreaks  are  encountered  and  are 
very  light,  this  blending  solution  must  be  proportion¬ 
ately  darker.  This  same  solution  is  good  to  be  used 
in  the  covering  of  the  edges  where  the  sanding  has  cut 
through,  as  the  small  amount  of  shellac  will  hold  the 
color  to  place  and  obviate  any  danger  of  finger  marks 
or  prints  in  the  handling  of  the  work  afterwards. 

Blending  on  gray  is  seldom  required,  but  when  re¬ 
quired,  a  black  shellac  solution  will  do.  If,  however, 
it  is  required  to  be  used  on  gray  maple,  silver  gray, 


STRENGTH  OF 
STAIN  DEPENDS 
ON  WORKMAN’S 
APTNESS. 


WATER  STAIN 
ON  FILLED  WOOD 
IS  PRACTICAL. 


214 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


BLENDING 
MIXTURE  FOR 
FUMED  OAK. 


or  any  of  the  very  light  shades,  a  very  small  amount  of 
black  is  better.  In  other  words,  it  would  be  better  to 
make  an  alcoholic  solution  of  the  black  or  even  a  water 
solution  of  nigrosine  black  and  touch  up  the  work,  and 
thus  avoid  the  extreme  polish  that  would  be  obtained 
if  a  shellac  solution  were  used. 

Not  much  blending  is  done  on  mahogany.  The  only 
touching  up  that  is  required  on  this  finish  is  usually 
from  troubles  caused  from  sanding  through  the  finish. 
In  this  case  the  Bismark  brown  solution  will  answer 
the  purpose.  Where  the  brown  mahogany  is  used,  pro¬ 
duce  the  brown  by  the  use  of  Bismark  brown  and  spirit 
black  solution  and  adding  a  bit  of  orange  until  the 
correct  shade  of  brown  is  obtained. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 


BLEACHING  WOOD  BEFORE  STAINING. 

THERE  are  numerous  ways  of  bleaching  dark  spots 
and  discolorations  on  wood,  but  the  method 
which  will  perhaps  give  the  most  general  satis¬ 
faction  is  the  oxalic  acid  bleach.  For  this  bleach  one 
half  pound  of  oxalic  acid  crystals  should  be  dissolved 
in  a  half  gallon  of  hot  water.  This  solution  should  be 
applied  to  the  wood  with  an  old  brush,  and  when  dry 
the  surface  should  be  gone  over  with  clear,  hot  water. 
Often  repeated  applications  of  the  bleach  are  neces¬ 
sary.  Should  this  be  the  case,  the  wood  should  be 
washed  off  with  hot  water  only  after  the  final  appli¬ 
cation  of  the  bleach.  When  the  wood  to  be  bleached 
is  greasy  or  oily,  it  should  first  be  washed  with  alcohol 
or  benzine,  to  remove  all  the  grease ;  when  the  wood  is 
dry,  the  bleach  should  be  applied. 

A  good  stock  solution  to  have  in  every  finishing 
department  is  a  solution  known  as  chlorinated  soda. 
It  is  a  simple,  but  efficient,  bleaching  agent,  and  while 
not  as  rich  in  chlorine  as  the  chlorinated  lime,  owing 
to  its  alkalinity,  it  has  a  peculiar  effect  upon  the  wood 
which  seems  to  give  the  small  amount  of  chlorine  pres¬ 
ent  a  greater  opportunity  for  bleaching.  Then,  too,  if 
first  applied  followed  with  peroxide  of  hydrogen,  a 
very  effective  bleaching  process  will  be  obtained. 

Chlorinated  soda  solution  may  be  made  as  follows : 
Take  21  ounces  of  sal  soda,  and  dissolve  in  40  ounces 
of  hot  water.  This  is  Solution  “A.”  Take  10  ounces 
of  chlorinated  lime  and  mix  it  with  one  and  one  half 
pints  of  water.  Stir  this  mixture  thoroughly;  then 
allow  it  to  settle,  and  pour  off  the  clear  liquid.  To  the 
sediment,  add  another  pint  and  a  half  of  water  and 
repeat  the  operation.  After  this  second  solution  has 
settled,  r»our  off  the  clear  liquid  into  the  other  solution 
and  to  the  sediment  add  a  bit  more  water.  Let  this 
filter  into  the  balance  of  the  chlorinated  solution.  Pour 
the  two  solutions  together;  the  result  will  be  a  clear, 


OXALIC  ACID 
BLEACH  FOR 
DARK  SPOTS. 


216 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


REMOVING 

SPOTS. 


pale  greenish  liquid,  having  a  faint  odor  of  chlorine, 
and  a  disagreeable  alkaline  taste. 

Iron  spots  may  be  removed  with  a  solution  of 
cyanide  of  potash,  phosphoric  acid,  and  then  washing 
off  with  clear  water.  Sulphur  fumes  will  bleach  and, 
while  difficult  to  apply,  will  ofttimes  do  the  trick  by 
blowing  the  fumes  against  the  part  to  be  bleached, 
covering  the  work  with  a  2  per  cent  solution  of  per¬ 
manganate  of  potash,  and  after  it  is  thoroughly  dried, 
IU0N  applying  a  5  per  cent  solution  of  hyposulphite  of  soda. 
This  method  has  been  found  very  satisfactory,  espec¬ 
ially  in  the  softer  woods.  Care  should  be  taken  in  all 
cases  to  remove  the  chemicals  from  the  wood  by  re¬ 
peated  applications  of  fresh  water. 


/ 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 


EBONIZING  BIRCH,  MAPLE,  BEECH,  ETC. 

THE  WOODS  best  adapted  for  ebonizing  are  apple, 
pear,  hazel,  maple,  beech,  and  birch,  in  their 
order  named.  When  stained  black,  they  give  the 
best  imitation  of  the  natural  ebony.  The  process  is 
best  carried  out  by  immersing  or  by  applying  repeated 
coats  of  the  hot  color  material.  Aside  from  the  method 
given  elsewhere  for  ebonizing  laboratory  tops,  the  for¬ 
mula  here  given  will  produce  very  satisfactory  results. 

For  staining,  boil  one  pound  of  logwood  chips  in  two 
quarts  of  water,  or  one  ounce  of  logwood  extract 
(solid).  Brush  the  hot  solution  over  the  work,  giving 
it  a  second  coat  when  dry.  Allow  this  to  stand  at  least 
24  hours,  and  then  coat  with  a  solution  of  one  ounce 
of  green  copperas  (sulphate  of  iron)  to  one  quart  of 
water.  Let  this  dry  in  a  warm,  well  lighted  place.  It 
should  not  be  hastened  by  artificial  heat. 

For  dipping,  the  solutions  may  be  prepared  prac¬ 
tically  as  given  above,  and  the  woods  immersed  for  at 
least  15  minutes  in  the  first  solution,  then  drained  off 
and  allowed  to  dry  in  a  good  circulation  of  air;  im¬ 
merse  in  the  second  solution,  which  may  be  made  up 
of  sulphate  of  copper  in  place  of  sulphate  of  iron,  taken 
from  this  solution,  and  again  dried,  and  passed  through 
an  alkaline  solution  made  up  by  dissolving  one  half 
pound  of  sal  soda  in  a  gallon  of  water.  After  it  passes 
through  the  third  solution,  it  should  be  rinsed  in  clear 
water. 

For  polishing  imitation  ebony,  such  as  piano  keys, 
etc.,  first  coat  the  work  with  a  very  fine  glue  size,  and. 
when  dry  smooth  lightly  with  No.  00  sandpaper.  Do 
not  cut  through  the  stain  coat.  Then  make  a  pad,  and 
apply  French  polish;  immediately  add  a  few  drops  of 
oil,  and  rub  with  a  circular  motion.  Set  it  aside  for 
one  hour,  sand  again  lightly,  and  repeat  the  operation. 

To  spirit  off,  great  care  must  be  taken  or  the  work 
will  be  dull  instead  of  Bright.  Take  a  clean  pad.  moisten 


WOODS  THAT 
IMITATE 
EBONY  WELL. 


POLISHING 

IMITATION 

EBONY. 


218 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


with  alcohol,  passing  quickly  over  the  surface;  then 
drop  on  a  few  drops  of  oil,  and  rub  lightly  but  quickly 
in  circular  sweeps  until  polish  is  obtained. 
ebonizing  For  large  surfaces,  similar  methods  may  be  em- 

large  surface,  ployed,  but  good  effects  can  be  produced  by  oiling  the 
work,  giving  it  at  least  48  hours  to  dry ;  then  two  coats 
of  shellac,  and  rub  dull  with  oil. 

For  formulas  for  ebony  stains  see  chapter  on  Stain 
Formulas. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 


GETTING  COLOR  RESULTS  WITHOUT  ANILINES. 

THE  production  of  wood  stains  is  not  solely  de¬ 
pendent  upon  the  aniline  dyes,  and  to  familiarize 
the  finisher  with  the  possibility  of  employing 
chemical  and  vegetable  extracts  is  the  object  of  the 
following  tabulation  of  the  more  popular  materials 
which  are  in  use  and  which  can  be  employed  to  great 
advantage.  Every  one  has  been  tested  and  is  thor¬ 
oughly  reliable.  The  tables  show  at  a  glance  how  to 
combine  chemicals  and  colors  to  produce  a  given  stain. 

These  are  valuable  suggestions,  but  by  no  means  do 
they  embrace  all  of  the  possibilities,  for  by  the  use  of 
these  as  a  base,  -where  the  reaction  is  acid  in  nature, 
acid  colors  or  anilines  can  be  added  to  the  chemicals, 
which  then  act  as  a  mordant  for  making  color  per¬ 
manent  and,  at  the  same  time,  play  a  part  in  producing 
the  color. 

To  make  this  absolutely  clear,  such  salts  or  chem¬ 
icals  as  potassium  chromate,  sugar  of  lead,  magnesium 
sulphate,  and  the  various  acids  will  combine  without 
injury  to  color  with  any  of  the  acid  colors  in  the  aniline 
series.  Alkalies  will  destroy  the  color  of  many  of  the 
anilines.  We,  therefore,  do  not  recommend  their  use 
in  combination.  They  will  work  with  basic  colors,  but 
as  the  basic  color  is  not  considered  fast  to  light,  with¬ 
out  a  second  coat  of  some  mordant,  they  are  seldom 
used  in  connection  with  the  color.  Where  the  effect 
is  that  of  an  alkali,  under  which  head  comes  carbonate 
of  potash,  aqua  ammonia,  sal  soda,  etc.,  these  should 
be  used  in  a  coat  by  themselves,  and  after  it  is  dry, 
the  other  color  put  over  it. 

It  is  true  that  a  good  many  use  a  small  amount  of 
potash  in  getting  their  mahogany  stain.  It  is  a  ques¬ 
tion  whether  this  is  absolutely  wise.  It  is  done  with 
the  belief  that  it  helps  the  color  to  penetrate  the  wood ; 
but,  in  the  writer’s  mind,  this  potash  is  more  harmful 
than  beneficial,  and  he  recommends  the  use  of  bichro- 


HOff  TO  OBTAIN 
CERTAIN  STAINS. 


USE  OF  ALKALI 
NOT  REC¬ 
OMMENDED. 


220 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


DECOCTIONS 
NOT  WITHOUT 
UNCERTAINTIES. 


WHAT  VARIOUS 

COMBINATIONS 

PRODUCE. 


mate  of  potash,  which  not  only  gives  a  color,  but  helps 
to  fasten  the  stain  in  the  wood 

A  few  experiments  will  exemplify  the  method  and 
results  obtained.  Oak  would  not  be  expected  to  pro¬ 
duce  the  same  shade  as  mahogany,  etc.  The  decoctions 
of  various  color-giving  woods  are  not  without  their 
uncertainties.  This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  a  vegetable 
is  not  always  uniform  in  its  color-giving  proclivities 
and,  therefore,  after  producing  a  uniform  extract,  it 
is  well  to  keep  a  sample  of  it  for  future  operations. 
This  fault  is  being  met  by  the  production  of  extracts 
made  from  these  various  color-giving  plants  which  are 
as  nearly  uniform  in  their  color  value  as  possible  to 
make 

The  table  which  follows  has  been  published  in  many 
periodicals,  trade  journals,  etc.  It  will  serve  a  pur¬ 
pose  here,  as  heretofore  many  formulas  also  have  been 
published,  giving  the  use  of  these  and  other  vegetable 
coloring  materials  which  today  are  not  considered,  nor 
being  recognized.  The  list  shows  at  a  glance  what  is 
to  be  expected  and  the  possible  results  that  may  be 
obtained  by  the  use  of  the  ingredients  so  treated. 


Decoction  of  logwood  treated  with :  Gives : 

Strong  hydrochloric  acid . Reddish  yellow 

Dilute  hydrochloric  acid. . Reddish  orange 

Pure  and  diluted  nitric  acid . Red 

Pure  and  diluted  sulphuric  acid . Black 

Sulphide  of  hydrogen . Yellow  brown 

Ferric  nitrate . Black 

Potassium  chromate . Black 

Stannous  chloride . Violet 

Tartaric  acid . Gray  brown 

Sulphate  of  copper . Dark  gray 

Tannin . Yellow  red 

Sal  ammoniac . Yellow 

Verdigris . Dark  brown 

Sugar  of  lead . Gray  brown 

Potash . Dark  red 

Potassium  permanganate . Light  brown 

Potassium  iodide . Red  yellow 

Cupric  chloride . Reddish  violet  to  dark  brown 

Chrome  yellow . Dark  violet 


GETTING  COLOR  RESULTS  IN  FINISHING  ROOM 


221 


Soda  . Violet 

Sulphate  of  iron . Gray  to  black 

Alum............... . . . . . Dark  red  brown 

Carbonate  of  potash . Yellow  brown 

Magnesium  sulphate . . . ....Brown 

Cupric  nitrate. . . . Violet 

Aqua  ammonia . .....Dark  violet 

Potassium  sulphocyanide . .Red 

Zinc  chloride . Red  brown 

Decoction  of  fustic  extract  treated  with :  Gives : 

Concentrated  hydrochloric  acid.. . ...Red 

Dilute  hydrochloric  acid . ......Yellow  brown 

Concentrated  nitric  acid . Reddish  yellow 

Dilute  nitric  acid . . . Brown 

Concentrated  sulphuric  acid . Dark  purple 

Dilute  sulphuric  acid . Brown  red 

Aqua  ammonia . .........Dark  yellow 

Ammonium  sulphydrate. . Dark  yellow 

Ferric  nitrate . ....Dark  gray  yellow 

Tannin  . . Yellow 

Potash  . . .....Yellow 

Stannous  chloride . Yellow 

Cupric  chloride  . . Yellow 

Tartaric  acid . Yellow 

Alum  . .....Yellow 

Pyrogallic  acid  . . Yellow 

Cupric  sulphate . Orange 

Sugar  of  lead . . . ...Yellow 

Potassium  permanganate . Brownish  yellow 

Decoction  of  Brazil-wood  treated  with:  Gives: 

Strong  nitric  acid . . . Dark  purple 

Dilute  nitric  acid . .........Pale  red 

Strong  sulphuric  acid . . . Red 

Dilute  sulphuric  acid.. . Red 

Strong  hydrochloric  acid.. . Dark  red 

Dilute  hydrochloric  acid................... . Light  red 

Aqua  ammonia... . Dark  red 

Ammonium  sulphydrate . Dark  red 

Sulphide  of  hydrogen... . . . Light  red 

Sulphate  of  iron . . . . . Dark  violet 

Tannin . . . No  change 

Stannous  chloride..... . ....Light  red 


MANY  YELLOWS 
PRODUCED. 


222 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


FURTHER 

INTERESTING 

COMBINATIONS. 


Cupric  chloride . Dark  red 

Sal  ammoniac . Reddish  yellow 

Sugar  of  lead . Yellowish  red 

Potash . ..Dark  crimson 

Tartaric  acid . Reddish  yellow 

Decoction  of  madder  treated  with :  Gives : 

Dilute  hydrochloric,  nitric  or  sulphuric 

acid . ...  Pale  yellow 

Sugar  of  lead . . Reddish  violet 

Soda  . Red 

Tartaric  acid . Pale  yellow 

Tannin  . . ..Pale  yellow 

Potash  . .  ..Light  red 

Sal  ammoniac  . Pale  yellow 

Aqua  ammonia . ...Reddish  yellow 

Alum  . . Faint  red 

Stannous  chloride . . Light  red 

Decoction  of  French  berries  with :  Gives : 

Dilute  hydrochloric  acid. . ...Rose  color 

Dilute  nitric  acid _ ..No  change 

Dilute  sulphuric  acid  . . Yellow 

Potash  . Yellow 

Stannous  chloride . Dark  yellow 

Tartaric  acid . Doscoloration 

Sugar  of  lead.. . . . Dark  yellow 

Ammonium  sulrhydrate . . . Faint  yellow 

Potassium  bichromate . Brown  yellow 

Ferric  nitrate . . . . . Dark  olive  green 

Potassium  iodide  . . Yellow 

Cupric  sulphate. . . . . . .....Greenish  yellow 

Decoction  of  tumeric  treated  with :  Gives : 

Hydrochloric,  nitric  or  sulphuric  acid. ...Yellow 

Sulphate  of  iron... . . . .Greenish  yellow 

Ferric  nitrate  . . Yellow  to  dark  yellow 

Sugar  of  lead _ Yellow 

Alum  . Yellow 

Potash.... . . Red  yellow 

Stannous  chloride.. . — Yellow 

Sodium  . Yellow 


The  foregoing  table  is  obviously  of  great  importance 
in  the  finishing  room. 


CHAPTER  XL, 


THE  STAINING  OF  DRAWERS. 

THE  difference  in  the  cost  of  finishing  the  inside 
of  a  suite,  and  the  cost  of  doing  it  right,  is  so 
small  as  to  make  it  scarcely  worth  while  speaking 
about.  There  is  no  good  reason  for  staining  the  inside 
of  furniture  darker  than  the  outside,  and  it  costs  more 
to  do  it  that  way.  To  make  a  pleasing  contrast  when 
the  drawers  are  opened  the  inside  should  be  stained 
considerably  lighter  than  the  outside.  Everything  else 
being  equal,  this  gives  the  goods  a  touch  of  refinement 
that  appeals  to  the  aesthetic  taste.  I  cannot  under¬ 
stand  why  so  many  leave  the  outside  of  the  drawer 
sides  unfinished.  Of  course  the  slides  ought  not  to  be 
varnished,  but  they  should  be  stained  to  match  the  rest 
of  the  drawer  and  given  a  thin  coat  of  shellac.  A  great 
many  factories  are  doing  this  now,  but  sometimes  a 
trimmer  finds  it  necessary  to  plane  some  off  the  slide 
to  make  the  drawer  work  freely  and  frequently  it  is 
left  that  way— part  finished  and  part  white.  It  should 
be  somebody’s  business  to  see  that  this  patch  is  re¬ 
paired;  it  should  be  the  duty  of  the  trimmer  either  to 
repair  it  himself  or  see  that  it  is  done. 

No  matter  how  the  outside  of  the  case  is  finished, 
whether  polished  or  dull,  a  gloss  finish  on  the  inside  is 
an  offense  against  good  taste,  and  tends  to  cheapen  the 
appearance  of  the  whole  thing.  A  dull  finish  is  the 
proper  thing.  Some  factories  dull  rub  the  inside  of  the 
drawers;  but  this  involves  a  lot  of  work,  and  unless 
the  oil  is  thoroughly  cleaned  out  of  the  corners — which 
is  not  always  the  case— the  effect  is  anything  but  pleas¬ 
ing.  There  are  on  the  market  flat  drying  varnishes 
that  are  not  very  expensive  and  which  make  an  excel¬ 
lent  finish  for  the  inside  of  case  goods.  Some  of  these 
are  harsh  to  the  touch  when  dry,  and  some  are  soft 
and  velvety.  Of  course  the  latter  is  preferable. 

A  good  finish  for  the  inside  of  drawers  may  be  made 
as  follows :  Take  20  gallons  of  water  heated  to  about 


STAINING 
DRAWERS  ADDS 
REFINEMENT. 


DULL  FINISH 
IS  THE  PROPER 
THING. 


224 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


GOOD  FINISH 
FOR  PURPOSE. 


175  degrees  Fahr.,  dissolve  in  this  eight  pounds  of 
borax.  Then  pour  in  slowly,  stirring  constantly,  40 
pounds  of  orange  shellac.  Stir  until  all  is  dissolved. 
This  makes  an  excellent  drawer  finish,  but  where  the 
goods  are  to  be  water  rubbed  it  should  be  put  on  after 
the  rubbing  has  been  done,  as  it  will  not  stand  water. 
It  should  be  used  merely  as  a  finish  coat  on  top  of  a 
coat  of  spirit  shellac.  Spirit  shellac  for  inside  of 
drawers  should  be  made  somewhat  heavier  than  is 
used  for  ordinary  work.  Three  and  a  half  pounds  of 
gum  to  a  gallon  of  solvent  will  be  about  right  on  work 
that  has  been  water  stained.  This  should  be  nicely 
sanded  before  the  finishing  coat  is  applied. 

When  drawer  bottoms  are  faced  with  mahogany, 
walnut  or  some  other  open  grained  wood,  these  should 
be  filled  before  they  are  put  in  the  drawer.  When 
staining  the  drawers,  the  bottoms  may  be  stained  over 
the  filler  and  wiped  off  with  a  rag.  This  will  give  them 
sufficient  color  to  match  the  sides. 

There  are  makers  of  furniture  who  think  it  is  of  no 
importance  how  the  back  of  the  case  is  finished.  This 
is  a  mistake  as  regards  the  better  grade  of  furniture. 
Everything  is  of  importance.  No  one  pretends  that 
the  back  should  compare  with  the  front,  but  the  con¬ 
trast  should  be  pleasing.  The  back  should  be  finished 
like  the  inside — clean  and  smooth  and  dull.  The  shellac 
finish  above  mentioned  may  be  used  on  the  back  with 
good  results. 

When  using  this  shellac  finish  do  not  work  it  too 
much  or  it  will  froth.  It  requires  merely  enough  brush¬ 
ing  to  spread  it  over  the  work  and  will  flow  out  nice 
and  smooth  of  itself.  It  should  be  strained  through 
book  muslin  to  remove  foreign  matter  that  one  finds 
in  the  gum,  and  to  insure  a  nice  smooth  surface. 


CHAPTER  XLI. 


CHANGING  FINISHING  STAIN  SHADES. 

IT  SHOULD  go  without  saying  that  the  needs  of  dif¬ 
ferent  factories  are  not  the  same,  and  that  there¬ 
for  the  requirements  of  the  finishing  room  are 
not  all  the  same.  The  factory  that  depends  upon  the 
ready  made  stains  has  really  but  two  essentials  to  look 
after.  One  of  these  is  to  see  that  the  stain  is  always 
uniform  and  the  other  to  get  the  best  for  the  least 
possible  money.  After  the  shades  have  been  adopted, 
it  is  up  to  the  foreman  to  see  that  the  stains  are 
uniformly  applied,  and  that  he  gets  the  greatest  amount 
of  work  possible  per  hour.  It  is  like  a  painter  who 
buys  ready  mixed  paints,  stirs  them  up  and  spreads 
them.  He  buys  them  from  a  color  card  and  suits  his 
customer  from  this  color  card  because  in  that  way  all 
he  has  to  do  is  to  open  the  pails  and  apply  according 
to  the  directions.  But  should  the  customer  wish  the 
shade  changed  a  little  the  painter  would  be  up  against 
it  unless  he  knew  just  a  little  about  the  mixing  of 
paints.  And  unless  he  understood  something  about  the 
paint  he  was  using,  he  might  ruin  the  paint  in  his 
attempt  to  alter  the  color. 

It  is  not  my  province  to  talk  against  the  prepared 
material.  This  is  unquestionably  as  good  as  can  be 
made,  but  cases  continually  arise  in  which  it  becomes 
absolutely  necessary  to  change  the  shade,  and  it  is  here 
that  it  becomes  imperative  to  have  such  knowledge  of 
the  material  as  will  enable  the  foreman  to  add  colors 
to  his  prepared  stains  in  order  to  change  the  shade. 
If,  therefore,  he  has  a  fair  amount  of  knowledge  of 
what  is  usually  employed  in  producing  a  desired  result, 
he  can  do  this  without  spoiling  or  injuring  the  stain. 

There  are  all  kinds  of  goods  on  the  market-water 
stains,  oil  stains,  and  spirit  stains.  The  maker  of  each 
lauds  the  special  qualities  of  his  make.  Unquestionably 
in  the  main  the  claims  are  correct.  It  remains  for 
the  manufacturer  to  select  what  is  best  adapted  for 


TWO  ESSENTIALS 
IN  READY  MADE 
STAINS. 


CONSTANT  NEED 
OF  CHANGING 
SHADE. 


226 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


COLOR  VALUE 
HIGHEST  IN 
WATER  STAINS. 


WATER  STAINS 
IN  ANY  SHADE. 


his  purpose.  There  are  some  places  where  nothing  but 
a  spirit  stain  is  advisable.  There  are  other  places  where 
only  water  stains  can  produce  the  desired  effect,  and 
lastly  spirit  stains,  which  serve  best  for  a  special  pur¬ 
pose. 

The  color  value  is  highest  in  water  stains,  for  two 
reasons.  A  greater  variety  of  colors  are  made  water 
soluble,  permitting  the  production  of  a  greater  variety 
of  colors  or  shades,  and  these  are  of  more  delicate  hues. 
Again  the  material  upon  which  we  are  working, 
namely,  wood,  in  its  growing  state  has  a  water  soluble 
sap,  so  that  when  a  color  is  applied  it  stands  to  reason 
that  if  it  be  mixable  in  the  same  fluid  as  that  which 
had  been  a  component  part  of  the  wood,  it  is  going  to 
unite  better  than  if  applied  by  a  vehicle  absolutely 
foreign  to  the  nature  of  the  product  to  which  it  is 
applied.  Second,  oil  stains,  because  they  save  time 
and  labor,  and  will  produce  a  satisfactory  color.  But 
as  yet  the  colors  obtainable  are  limited.  Third,  spirit 
stains  which  are  not,  however,  as  a  rule  permanent 
when  exposed  to  light.  It  is  a  peculiar  fact  that  wher¬ 
ever  the  highest  grade  furniture  is  made  you  will  see 
water  stains  predominating.  There  are  places  of  course 
where  the  oil  stains  are  used  in  conjunction  with  water 
stains;  places  where  it  is  absolutely  necessary  not  to 
raise  the  grain.  This  applies  also  to  spirit  stains. 

An  intimate  knowledge  of  the  stains,  and  the  pro¬ 
duction  thereof  cannot  be  expected  to  be  had  by  the 
foreman  finisher.  His  business  is  the  using  of  the 
material  and  the  getting  of  results.  It  is  also  his 
business  to  get  the  best  results  for  the  least  expenditure 
of  money  and  labor.  His  requirements,  therefore,  are 
governed  by  the  class  of  goods,  or  furniture,  turned 
out  in  his  particular  factory.  But  the  more  he  knows 
about  stains  the  more  readily  he  can  adjust  any  dif¬ 
ficulty  with  which  he  may  be  confronted. 

For  water  stains  the  following  colors  will  produce 
any  of  the  shades  now  on  the  market :  Black,  brown, 
orange,  red,  and  yellow.  For  the  blacks,  nigrosine  or 
naphthalene  black ;  for  the  brown,  Bismark,  loutre,  and 
seal ;  for  the  brown  mahogany,  orange  and  naphthalene 
black;  for  the  reds,  scarlet,  or  carmosine.  For  the 


CHANGING  FINISHING  STAIN  SHADES 


227 


orange  there  are  but  two  shades-— orange  Y  and  orange 
G;  in  the  yellow,  naphthalene  yellow  and  aurimine. 
With  these  colors  any  water  stain  can  be  made  or 
altered. 

In  oil  stains  the  same  shades  are  used  but  are 
specified  “oil  soluble,”  The  same  applies  to  spirit 
stains  with  the  exception  that  the  name  of  the  color 
must  be  used  with  the  words  “spirit  soluble.”  It  would 
be  impossible  to  give  the  trade  names  of  these  various 
colors,  as  each  firm  or  manufacturer  has  his  own 
trade  names. 

The  foreman  finisher  must  remember  that  in  adding 
a  color  to  a  prepared  stain,  as  a  rule  it  is  necessary  to 
increase  the  liquid  or  vehicle  as  well.  There  are  two 
points  to  be  remembered.  One  is,  changing  the  shade 
without  changing  the  strength  or  depth  of  color,  and 
the  other  is  increasing  the  strength.  In  the  former 
the  additional  color  should  first  be  dissolved  and  then 
be  added  to  the  already  prepared  stain  which  is  to  be 
altered.  In  the  latter  the  strengthening  is  produced 
by  the  addition  of  color  without  any  more  vehicle.  It 
is  impossible  to  give  any  specific  formula  or  directions 
that  would  be  applicable  to  each  case. 

In  changing  the  shade  of  a  finish,  to  begin  with, 
the  finish  must  be  removed.  If  it  is  a  wax  finish,  most 
of  the  wax  can  be  taken  off  with  turpentine,  naphtha, 
or  benzole.  This  is  cheaper  than  the  prepared  varnish 
removers.  The  removal  of  the  wax  coat  will  bring 
you  down  to  the  shellac;  this  can  be  removed  with 
alcohol.  In  case  the  wood  has  been  filled,  and  the  piece 
is  to  be  finished  in  a  style  which  carries  with  it  no 
filler,  the  pores  must  be  opened  and  the  filler  removed 
with  a  picking  brush.  It  will  be  found  expedient  to 
give  a  good  sponging  with  a  strong  alkaline  solution 
which  should  be  washed  off  with  a  clear  coat  of  water, 
when  as  a  rule  the  filler  will  lift.  The  work  is  then 
thoroughly  sanded,  and  should  be  by  this  time  back  to 
the  white  state.  Care  must  be  taken  in  doing  this  work 
when  applying  this  method  to  veneers.  One  cannot  be 
too  painstaking  and  especially  careful  with  the  alkaline 
and  water  for  fear  of  lifting  the  veneer.  In  case  you 
suspect  the  veneer  to  be  very  thin,  do  more  work  with 


ADDING  COLOR 
TO  PREPARED 
STAIN. 


DANGER  OF 

“lifting"  the 

VENEER. 


228 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


AVOID  ANY 
CUTTING 
THROUGH  OF 
VENEER. 


TWO  LIGHT 
STAINS  ARE 
BETTER  THAN 
ONE  HEAVY. 


the  varnish  remover,  and  alcohol,  and  less  with  the 
alkaline  solution.  Then  in  sanding,  care  must  be  taken 
not  to  cut  through.  Avoid  scraping  for  fear  of  pro¬ 
ducing  an  uneven  surface  which  would  later  necessi¬ 
tate  a  good  deal  of  sanding.  When  the  wood  has  been 
brought  back  to  the  white  state,  follow  the  directions 
for  finishing  according  to  the  directions  in  any  one  of 
the  finishes  that  may  be  selected.  The  matter  is  sim¬ 
plified  where  the  change  of  shade  is  for  the  darker,  as 
from  a  light  golden  oak,  a  cathedral  to  a  fumed  or  an 
Early  English.  Avoid  attempting  to  produce  finishes 
that  are  not  in  conformity  with  the  regular  styles,  such 
as  attempting  to  make  a  mahogany  on  oak.  Always 
see  to  it  that  the  change  is  compatible  with  convention. 

In  changing  golden  oak  to  a  fumed,  little  difficulty 
is  encountered,  as  the  finish  as  a  rule  does  not  pene¬ 
trate  and  the  removal  of  the  filler  is  not  so  exacting. 
But  avoid  a  job  of  changing  a  genuine  fumed  to  a  light 
golden  oak,  or  in  fact  any  kind  of  a  color  that  is  lighter 
than  the  original  fumed  oak.  It  is  well  to  ascertain 
whether  the  fumed  is  a  genuine  fumed  piece  or  whether 
it  is  stained  fumed  oak. 

In  mahoganies,  some  results  may  be  obtained  by 
applying  bleaching  methods  where  the  shade  is  to  be 
made  lighter.  But,  here  again,  you  are  apt  to  encoun¬ 
ter  difficulty  when  the  veneer  portion  of  the  furniture 
is  to  be  treated. 

It  is  well  to  remember  that  in  changing  finishes, 
and  especially  where  the  change  is  to  match  some  other 
piece,  it  is  safer  to  apply  a  weaker  stain,  and  repeat 
the  operation,  than  to  apply  a  strong  stain  which  may 
prove  too  dark.  It  would  be  better  to  make  tests  on 
pieces  of  wood  before  attempting  it  on  the  original 
work.  Always  remember,  that  if  the  finish  after  the 
filler  and  the  first  coat  of  shellac  has  been  applied, 
should  be  too  light,  considerable  doctoring  can  be  done 
by  incorporating  a  bit  of  color  in  the  second  coat  of 
shellac. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 


COAL  TAR  PRODUCTS  IN  FINISHING  ROOM. 


FROM  coal  tar  many  products  are  extracted  or  pro¬ 
duced,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  which  prove 
to  be  of  considerable  interest  to  staining  artisans. 
We  are  indebted  to  the  so-called  light  oil  fraction  of 
the  tar  for  the  large  majority  of  these  products;  some 
few,  however,  are  obtained  from  the  other  fractions. 

The  writer  will  confine  his  efforts  to  giving  you  in 
detail  only  the  characteristics,  uses,  etc.,  of  those  pro¬ 
ducts  of  special  interest  to  the  finisher,  all  of  which 
incidentally  are  taken  from  the  light  oil  fraction. 

We  will  mention,  however,  in  passing: 

Crude  and  Refined  Cresylic  and  Carbolic  Acids, 
extracted  from  the  carbolic  acid  or  middle  oil  fraction, 
which  are  occasionally  used  on  account  of  their  ex¬ 
ceptional  solvent  and  penetrating  actions.  These 
actions  are  stronger  and  more  pronounced  than  the 
corresponding  actions  of  some  of  the  lighter  distillates 
of  a  neutral  nature.  They  cannot  be  used  in  all  cases, 
inasmuch  as  they  often  “burn”  or  otherwise  affect 
some  delicate  shades. 

Naphthalene  and  Phenol  (Refined  Crystal 
Carbolic  Acid),  obtained  from  the  same  fraction, 
offer  themselves  as  bases  for  some  coal  tar  colors. 

Anthracene,  from  the  anthracene  fraction,  is  like¬ 
wise  used  in  the  same  manner. 

Heavy  Tar  Oils  and  Pitches,  the  former  a  widely 
fractioned  crude,  is  often  used  as  a  paint  without  alter- 
tion;  while  the  latter,  which  are  residues,  are  used  as 
bases  for  crude  paints  or  various  natures. 

After  the  crude  coal  tar  has  been  fractioned  into 
light  oil,  middle  oil,  heavy  oil,  and  pitch,  the  light  oil 
fraction  is  further  distilled  by  the  general  methods  of 
fractioning  with  a  column  still  heated  by  steam.  The 
temperature  gradually  rises  until  a  fraction  of  liquid 
comes  off  in  a  steady  stream  at  approximately  82° 
centigrade.  This  is  crude  benzol  and  is  run  into  a 


LIGHT  OIL 
FRACTION 
PRODUCES  COAL 
TAR  PRODUCTS. 


SOME  OF  THE 
COAL  TAR 
PRODUCTS. 


230 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


HOW  VARIOUS 
PRODUCTS  ARE 
OBTAINED. 


tank  for  further  refining.  The  still  temperature  rises 
steadily  and  at  about  110°  C.  a  crude  is  collected  that 
is  called  toluol  or  methyl-benzol.  Crudes  continue  to 
come  off  from  there  to  about  145°.  These  are  stored 
to  refine  xylol  or  dimethyl-benzol,  then  to  160°  these 
give  us  solvent  naphtha,  and  so  on  up  to  200°,  where 
heavy  naphtha  comes  off.  After  these  products,  fol¬ 
low  the  creosotes  which  cannot  be  graded  as  to  boiling 
point,  nor  be  classed  as  benzols  or  naphthas. 

Now  we  shall  go  back  to  our  crude  benzol.  This 
as  you  see  is  crude  and  possesses  considerable  odor. 
This  is  washed  with  acids  and  alkalies  until  all  the 
impurities  are  out  and  then  it  is  redistilled  in  a  more 
highly  developed  type  of  still  and  we  get  the  water- 
white  benzol  as  a  result.  This  is  drummed  off  as  it 
comes  out  of  the  condenser  and  an  individual  analysis 
shows  whether  it  is  benzol  pure,  100%,  90%,  or 
50%.  This  is  done  by  distilling  it  in  a  small  flask  and 
condenser,  and  the  per  cent  that  has  already  distilled 
over  at  100°  C.  is  taken  as  the  basis  of  grade.  For 
instance,  a  drum  having  100%  volatile  at  100°  is  called 
100%  benzol;  90%  benzol  having  evolved  at  100°  is 
known  as  90%,  and  so  on  down.  A  drum,  of  which  the 
sample  will  show  the  entire  amount  volatile  within  two 
degrees  of  80°,  is  listed  as  pure. 

The  crude  toluol  is  refined  in  the  same  manner,  but 
is  divided  only  into  pure  (that  which  all  distills  in  2° 
of  its  true  boiling  point  110°),  and  commercial  (90% 
of  which  is  volatilized  at  120°  C.). 

Pure  xylol  is  refined  to  a  fraction,  all  of  which 
boils  between  135°  C.  and  140°  C.  When  a  fraction  is 
obtained  which  tests  90%  distilling  at  160°,  this  form 
is  termed  solvent  naphtha. 

Heavy  naphtha  is  not  further  refined,  and  with 
that  is  offered  unrefined  benzol  and  toluol,  which  are 
offered  to  the  consumer  as  straw  color.  Bear  in  mind 
that  they  are  the  same  as  the  water  whites,  but  are 
not  given  a  treatment  to  remove  the  impurities  which 
impart  a  color  and  odor.  There  is  also  a  straw  color, 
or  unwashed  solvent  naphtha,  that  is  offered  under  va¬ 
rious  trade  names,  usually  determined  by  the  company 
offering  them,  “Barrettol,”  etc. 


COAL  TAR  PRODUCTS  IN  FINISHING  ROOM 


231 


This  completes  the  list  of  benzols  that  are  refined 
in  this  country,  and  as  to  which  is  the  most  suitable 
to  the  artisan,  it  is  so  largely  a  matter  of  personal 
opinion,  that  it  will  probably  be  best  to  sum  up  all 
the  possibilities  in  each. 

All  of  these  benzols  can  be  used  interchangeably, 
that  is  to  say,  that  one  will  do  the  work  of  the  other, 
because  they  all  have  approximately  the  same  diluting, 
thinning  or  solvent  power.  They  are  in  respect  to  each 
other  the  same  hydrocarbons,  but  having  different 
boiling  points,  they  have  correspondingly  different 
rates  of  evaporation.  With  this  point  in  mind,  let  us 
consider  each  separate  grade. 

Pure  Benzol — -Low  boiling  point  and  very  quick 
in  evaporating.  Should  be  used  as  a  solvent  only  where 
a  strong  solvent  and  quick  evaporation  is  desired. 
This  material  is  particularly  designed  for  the  rubber 
trade  and  for  manufacturing  other  chemicals,  such  as 
aniline,  myrrhbane,  synthetic  phenol,  etc. 

100%  Benzol— Used  generally  as  a  solvent  where 
people  want  to  volatilize  at  the  temperature  of  steam, 
i.  e.,  100°  C. 

90%  Benzol — This  is  the  best  known  grade,  has  a 
fairly  fast  evaporation,  and  for  solvent  power  and  thin¬ 
ning  properties  may  be  used  as  the  typical  benzol. 

50%  Benzol- — Is  the  same  as  the  preceding,  but 
merely  a  little  slower  in  evaporation  time. 

Toluol  Pure — Designed  chiefly  for  manufacturing 
purposes,  such  as  benzoic  acid,  etc. 

Toluol  Commercial — Water-white  as  all  before, 
but  the  boiling  point  has  increased  so  as  to  about  treble 
the  evaporating  time  of  this  grade  as  compared  with 
the  first  distillates.  In  fact,  this  is  slow  enough  to 
have  some  brushing  quality,  and  is  for  that  reason 
preferred  for  certain  classes  of  work.  The  solvent 
power  is  relatively  the  same. 

Pure  Xylol — Designed  for  drug  and  scientific 
purposes. 

Solvent  Naphtha — A  water-white  product,  quite 
slow  in  evaporation ;  in  fact,  more  nearly  approaching 
turpentine  with  a  corresponding  increase  in  brushing 
quality  than  all  others  gone  before,  and  here  the  boiling 


BENZOLS 
REPINED  IN 
THIS  COUNTRY. 


232 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


PROPERTIES  OF 

VARIOUS 

BENZOLS. 


BENZOLS  BEST 
SUITED  TO 
ARTISAN. 


point  has  increased  sufficiently  to  raise  the  flash  point 
to  a  point  of  safety.  The  flash  points  of  the  others 
are  very  low. 

Straw  Colors — The  properties  of  each  of  these 
may  be  described  by  referring  them  to  each  correspond¬ 
ing  water- white:  Straw  color  benzol  corresponds  to 
90%  benzol;  straw  color  toluol  corresponds  to  commer¬ 
cial  toluol;  crude  solvent  (Barrettol)  corresponds  to 
solvent  naphtha.  It  should  be  remembered  that  they 
will  do  the  same  work,  but  that  their  color  and  odor 
make  them  less  desirable  at  times. 

Heavy  Naphtha — The  heaviest  one  of  the  coal 
tar  naphthas  possesses  a  high  flash  and  a  dark  color. 
It  has  still  the  same  strong  solvent  power  as  the  pre¬ 
ceding  ones,  and  the  same  characteristic  odor. 

From  this  discussion  it  will  be  seen  that  several  of 
the  products  bear  very  general  likeness  to  each  other 
and  that  their  behavior  toward  other  materials  is  gen¬ 
erally  the  same,  consequently  the  most  conspicuous 
variation  is  the  one  we  are  inclined  to  group  them  by, 
and  that  property  is  the  one  that  the  artisan  must 
look  to  also  as  his  method  of  determining  which  he  is 
to  use.  I  refer  to  boiling  point  or  evaporating  time. 
We  can  eliminate  certain  grades  immediately,  and  by 
choosing  the  following  grades  we  will  include  one  of 
each  type  that  will  determine  the  benzols  suitable  to 
the  artisan; 


Fast  Benzols 


(90%  benzol. 

|  Straw  color  benzol. 


Medium  Benzols 


Slow  Benzols 


(Commercial  toluol. 

/Straw  color  toluol. 

fSolvent  naphtha. 

-j  Heavy  naphtha. 

[Crude  solvent  (Barrettol). 


It  will  be  seen  that  by  ignoring  the  pure  grades, 
it  is  possible  to  eliminate  the  higher  priced  articles. 
While  these  are  quite  worth  the  difference  in  cost,  as 
a  rule  the  ones  mentioned  are  sufficiently  worthy  for 


COAL  TAR  PRODUCTS  IN  FINISHING  ROOM 


233 


the  purposes  they  are  used  for  to  be  called  suitable. 

As  to  the  uses  the  material  may  be  put  to,  it  is 
hard  to  define  any  limits,  because  some  one  individual 
may  prefer  it  for  purposes  where  other  solvents  would 
do  just  as  well.  Some  times  where  it  would  be  by  far 
the  best,  the  other  solvents  still  have  the  precedence; 
but  as  a  general  thing,  the  uses  may  be  grouped  under 
the  specialties  which  are  best  enumerated  as  follows: 

Paint  and  varnish  removers  consist  largely  of  ben¬ 
zol,  and  the  consumption  of  such  compounds  is  very 
large  in  this  country  and  the  demand  is  divided  between 
alcohol  and  benzol.  We  refer  now  to  the  neutral  and 
patented  removers  which  are  on  the  market.  A  great 
many  individuals  and  manufacturers  use  the  acid  or 
carbolic  varieties,  thus  avoiding  certain  of  the  patents, 
but  at  the  same  time  a  great  deal  of  benzol  goes  for 
this  sort  of  a  use.  Also  a  fast  benzol  is  used  by  a  great 
many,  and  recommended  by  not  a  few  chemists  and 
manufacturers  for  cleaning  up  the  surface  after  the 
remover  has  been  allowed  to  do  its  work  and  been 
wiped  off.  This  is  particularly  advantageous  when  a 
remover  carrying  a  paraffine  blanket  has  been  used, 
as  the  benzol  penetrates  the  pores  of  the  wood  and 
tends  to  remove  the  wax  that  has  remained  in  the  fiber, 
which  is  desirable  when  the  surface  is  to  be  revar¬ 
nished. 

Benzol  as  a  thinning  agent  in  bronzing  liquids  has 
considerable  vogue.  The  varnish  varieties  of  bronze 
and  aluminum  paints  are  frequently  thinned  with  the 
benzol,  because  it  is  possible  to  get  some  brushing 
quality  and  at  the  same  time  use  a  liquid  which  con¬ 
tains  absolutely  no  free  impurities  which  would  tend 
to  discolor  the  powder.  Also  the  gravities,  being  con¬ 
siderably  heavier  than  the  petroleum  naphthas,  sup¬ 
port  the  heavy  pigments  so  much  better  that  the 
liability  of  caking  is  decreased.  The  cotton  or  banana 
liquid  vehicles  carry  very  often  considerable  benzol, 
because  of  its  cheapness  and  the  fact  that  the  coal  tar 
naphtha  imparts  a  certain  silkiness  to  a  cotton  film. 
When  gun-cotton  or  scrap  celluloid  is  dissolved  in  amyl- 
acetate,  alcohol,  or  similar  material,  it  can  be  diluted 
with  the  benzol  to  a  point  where  the  cotton  does  not 


VARIOUS  USES 
OF  BENZOLS. 


BENZOL  AS  A 
DILUENT. 


234 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


OIL  SOLUBLE 
STAIN  OUTLET 
FOR  BENZOL. 


HOW  BENZOL 
FIGURES  IN 
VARNISH. 


coagulate,  thus  being  considerably  cheaper  and  at  the 
same  time  reducing  the  liability  of  carrying  moisture 
into  the  mixture  as  is  possible  with  some  other  diluents, 
which  have  an  affinity  for  water. 

The  oil  soluble  stain  is  a  very  considerable  outlet 
for  benzol,  and  really,  when  thought  over,  is  a  very 
natural  one,  since  the  oil  soluble  stains  are  made  from 
aniline,  which  is  in  turn  made  from  benzol ;  and  it  is 
generally  agreed  that  it  is  quite  natural  to  dissolve 
one  substance  in  a  material  of  a  similar  nature.  In 
this  way  the  permeability  of  the  anilines  is  increased 
and  the  solution  can  be  made  much  more  readily.  A 
large  point  in  the  favor  of  coal  tar  naphtha  is  of  course 
its  penetration.  In  fact,  it  is  quite  remarkable  that 
a  spirit  stain,  having  been  treated  to  make  it  soluble  in 
oil,  may  be  put  into  benzol  quite  to  the  limit  of  solvent 
power,  and  yet  the  stain  when  applied  will  penetrate  a 
very  closely  grained  wood  to  a  considerable  depth;  in 
fact,  to  a  much  greater  depth  than  if  the  material  were 
dissolved  in  alcohol  originally. 

Some  claim  that  anilines  thinned  with  benzol  take 
on  a  certain  tone  or  softness,  but  since  there  is  no 
chemical  reason  for  this,  it  is  believed  it  is  largely  a 
matter  of  personal  opinion.  Since  we  know  that  many 
people  using  benzol  become  quite  attached  to  it  and 
form  very  decided  prejudices  in  its  favor,  we  can 
readily  understand  this  attitude.  Of  course,  there  is 
also  the  oil  stain  in  which  pigment  colors  are  used, 
where  benzol  on  account  of  its  gravity,  penetration,  and 
brushing  qualities  is  to  be  desired,  as  well  as  in  the 
real  dyes. 

Varnishes  and  the  demand  that  they  make  upon  the 
benzol  market  in  a  way  is  hard  to  describe,  since  a 
great  deal  of  benzol  may  go  into  varnishes  in  the  form 
of  turpentine  substitutes.  That  is,  people  who  make 
turpentine  substitutes  for  their  own  use  may  take  a 
percentage  of  turpentine  for  odor  and  brushing  quality, 
and  a  per  cent  of  benzol  for  solvent  power,  penetra¬ 
tion,  and  the  like,  and  the  rest  of  benzine  for  cheap¬ 
ness.  A  great  deal  of  varnish  is  probably  thinned 
with  a  material  like  this,  but  it  does  not  warrant  calling 
benzol  a  thinner  for  varnishes  in  the  sense  that  you 


COAL  TAR  PRODUCTS  IN  FINISHING  ROOM 


235 


would  turpentine  or  benzine.  We  refer  to  the  oleo- 
resinous  varnishes. 

Spirit  varnishes  of  course  carry  a  great  deal  of 
benzol,  because  the  solvent  power  of  benzol  for  damar 
and  rosin  is  very  marked.  Manila  is  cut  very  readily 
by  the  use  of  alcohol  and  benzol,  as  are  a  good  many 
of  the  hard  copals.  This  feature  of  benzol  is  a  remark¬ 
able  one  and  as  yet  not  very  clearly  explained.  In 
fact,  a  separate  group  of  solvents  might  be  called  the 
conjunctive  solvents;  benzol  with  alcohol,  with  acetone, 
with  amyl-acetate,  and  various  other  solvents  would 
seem  to  form  a  mixture  with  a  solvent  power  greater 
than  the  individual  powers  of  any  of  its  constituent 
parts. 

In  the  enamels  and  japans  the  use  of  a  small  amount 
of  one  of  the  refined  benzols  is  recommended  by  some 
authorities;  “the  complete  evaporation”  quality  of  the 
thinner  in  question  being  the  point  that  prompts  such 
a  recommendation.  Considering  in  such  a  case  that 
when  the  enamel  or  japan  has  been  properly  thinned 
and  applied  in  a  satisfactory  manner  the  benzol  has 
completed  its  work;  the  fact  that  upon  drying  (fast  or 
slow),  this  thinner  leaves  behind  no  oily  or  gummy 
residue  to  mar  the  resultant  finish,  should  appeal  as 
an  advantage.  This  outlet  for  coal  tar  thinners  has 
never  proven  to  be  a  large  one.  The  characteristic 
odor  of  the  distillates,  which  to  some  people  appears 
unpleasant,  has  been  one  drawback.  This  applies 
especially  in  cases  where  oven  drying,  or  hot  room 
drying,  is  resorted  to. 


FURTHER  USES 
OF  BENZOL. 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 


ENAMELING  FURNITURE. 

ENAMELING  furniture,  whether  upon  new  or  old 
work,  must  have  the  surface  in  proper  condition, 
well  filled,  smooth,  and  shellaced;  then  sanded 
and  dusted. 

The  finest  finish  may  be  obtained  in  the  following 
manner:  When  surface  is  in  proper  condition,  apply 
two  coats  of  enamel  priming  white,  the  second  coat 
being  slightly  tinted  with  the  finishing  color,  if  the 
finishing  coats  are  not  white.  Allow  24  hours  for 
each  coat  to  dry  and  then  sand  lightly  with  00  sand¬ 
paper.  Next  apply  a  coat  of  enamel  of  the  color  de¬ 
sired  for  the  finished  work.  Flow  on  thin  with  a 
chiseled  varnish  brush.  Avoid  “lapping”  by  not  brush¬ 
ing  over  the  enamel  after  it  has  begun  to  set.  Should 
enamel  not  work  freely,  add  a  very  little  turpentine. 
Allow  36  hours  for  enamel  to  harden  and  then  rub 
with  curled  hair  or  with  pumice  stone  and  water. 
Apply  the  next  and  final  coat  in  the  same  manner.  If 
a  regular  enamel  gloss  finish  is  desired,  this  is  all  that 
is  necessary. 

A  rubbed  finish  may  be  imparted  by  rubbing  smooth 
with  powdered  pumice  stone  and  rubbing  oil,  or  water. 
Use  a  piece  of  rubbing  felt  kept  well  saturated  with 
the  oil  or  water  and  dip  in  pumice  stone,  rubbing  sur¬ 
face  smooth  and  removing  brush  marks.  Allow  enamel 
to  stand  three  to  four  days  before  rubbing. 

A  polished  finish  may  be  obtained  by  polishing  with 
powdered  rotten  stone  and  polishing  oil,  or  water.  Use 
soft  cloth  or  cotton  waste,  kept  well  saturated  with  the 
oil  or  water  and  dip  in  rotten  stone,  rubbing  surface 
until  a  high  lustre  appears.  Allow  the  rubbed  finish 
to  stand  at  least  24  hours  before  polishing. 

An  average  finish  may  be  obtained  by  applying  two 
coats  of  primer  and  one  coat  of  enamel,  as  described, 
the  last  coat  being  left  in  the  enamel  gloss. 

An  inexpensive  finish  may  be  had  by  applying  one 


ENAMEL  WORK 
NEEDS  PROPER 
SURFACE. 


“LAPPING”  TO 
BE  AVOIDED. 


238 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


INEXPENSIVE 

FINISH. 


coat  of  enamel  by  flowing  on  evenly  with  a  chiseled 
varnish  brush.  Avoid  lapping  by  not  brushing  over 
enamel  after  it  has  begun  to  set.  Should  the  enamel 
not  work  freely,  add  a  very  little  pure  turpentine,  but 
not  enough  to  dim  the  lustre.  This  finish  will  not  do 
if  the  enamel  is  lighter  in  color  than  the  old  finish;  in 
that  event,  follow  directions  for  an  average  finish. 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 


SPIRIT  STAINS  IN  FINISHING. 

THE  very  title  of  these  stains  describes  them. 
Generally  they  are  a  solution  of  spirit  soluble 
anilines  which  are  classified  as  basic  colors  and 
which  are  generally  not  fast  to  light.  The  durability 
of  their  color  necessitates  stains  of  this  nature  to  be 
well  protected  with  coats  of  shellac,  keeping  out  all  of 
the  air.  When  subjected  to  sunlight,  they  will  fade,  no 
matter  how  much  finishing  has  been  done  over  them. 
There  are  places  where  their  use  is  permitted,  and 
there  are  occasions  where  the  employment  of  spirit 
solutions  is  the  only  method  thus  far  obtained  for  pro¬ 
ducing  the  required  effects  and  results. 

Spirit  stains  are  made  by  dissolving  such  colors  or 
combinations  as  will  produce  the  desired  shade.  Little 
filling  is  done  where  they  are  employed.  Wood  alcohol 
is  the  more  common  solvent,  with  denatured  alcohol 
and  grain  alcohol  sometimes  used.  Heat  is  never  em¬ 
ployed.  Loading  of  the  liquid  will  cause  bronzing, 
which  is  the  congealing  and  drying  of  the  aniline  on 
the  surface,  because  it  cannot  follow  the  alcohol  vehicle 
in  its  penetration,  and  because  the  evaporation  exceeds 
the  speed  of  penetration  thus  leaving  it  in  a  thin  film 
on  the  surface  to  which  it  has  been  applied.  Covering 
spirit  stains  with  shellacs  must  be  done  quickly  and 
without  restroking  the  surface.  The  same  applies  to 
the  application  of  the  stain  itself. 

Spirit  stains  have  one  advantage,  which  is  that  they 
do  not  raise  the  grain,  but  produce  quick  and  desirable 
results  where  they  are  not  exposed  to  air  and  light,  such 
as  the  interior  of  drawers  and  case  work. 


PROCESS  TO 
BE  FOLLOWED. 


CHAPTER  XLV. 


THE  CARE  OF  STAIN  MATERIAL. 


A  GOOD  rule,  for  any  finishing  department,  is  to 
insist  on  finishing  material  being  kept  in  sealed 
packages.  Liquids  must  always  be  well  corked; 
kept  in  a  moderately  cool  place.  Liquid  solvents  will 
evaporate  and  the  lighter  portions  which  evaporate 
are  many  times  the  stronger  factor  in  solvent  qualities 
and  thus  the  remaining  liquids  are  not  as  efficient  as 
the  original. 

In  mixed  dry  stains,  where  it  is  possible  for  the 
mixture  to  be  made  up  of  coarser  and  finer  powders, 
there  is  danger  from  the  coarser  powders  finding  their 
way  to  the  top  of  the  package  through  the  continual 
vibration  of  the  factory.  In  that  case  the  removal  of 
the  upper  portions  would  not  be  an  exact  representa¬ 
tion  of  the  general  contents  of  the  package.  Such  stain 
material  should  be  shaken  thoroughly  and  care  should 
be  taken  that  the  mixture  is  complete  before  employing 
any  part  thereof. 

In  chemicals,  especially  those  in  crystalline  form, 
some  may  be  hydroscopic,  others  may  be  deliquescent, 
by  which  is  meant,  that  one  absorbs  moisture  from  the 
air,  and  the  other  gives  off  moisture,  so  that  where 
small  quantities  are  employed  the  actual  amount  of 
the  chemical  might  vary  considerably  had  they  not  been 
properly  cared  for.  Uniformity  of  product  is  an  essen¬ 
tial.  Upon  the  stain  product  depends  the  entire  success 
of  the  finish.  It  should  always  be  remembered  that  it 
is  wise  to  keep  in  an  air-tight  package  a  sample  of  the 
original  stain,  especially  with  the  anilines,  so  that  as 
each  new  batch  is  obtained  it  may  be  compared  with 
the  original.  A  simple  matter  for  example: 

Weigh  out  five  grains,  dissolve  it  in  a  pint  of  water. 
Then  weigh  out  five  grains  of  the  original,  dissolve  it 
likewise.  Pour  the  contents  in  separate  cylinder 
glasses  of  like  diameter,  compare  the  color.  For  a 
check  on  this  comparison,  take  pieces  of  white  blotting 


KEEP  LIQUID 
STAIN  IN 
COOL  PLACE. 


KEEP  SAMPLE 
OF  ORIGINAL 
STAIN. 


242 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


MANY  STAINS 
VARY  IN 
COLOR  VALUE. 


USE  OF  SUL¬ 
PHATE  OF  IRON 
IMPORTANT. 


paper  and  immerse  them  in  the  solution.  They  must 
compare  both  when  wet  and  when  dry. 

Where  vegetable  extracts  and  dyestuffs  are  em¬ 
ployed,  it  is  more  essential  to  keep  a  sample  of  the 
original  solution.  These  products  often  vary  in  their 
color  value,  and  unless  they  are  matched  with  the 
original  by  either  employing  more  or  less  in  the  making 
of  the  second  solution,  and  thus  preparing  an  exact 
duplicate,  the  stain  so  produced  is  apt  to  fall  off  in 
shade. 

CAUTION. 

WHEN  USING  IRON  IN  ITS  VARIOUS  FORMS  IN  THE  PRO¬ 
DUCTION  OF  STAIN. 

The  most  common  form  of  iron  found  in  the  market 
is  sulphate  of  iron,  commonly  known  as  copperas. 
(So  named  because  it  has  a  greenish  color.)  This, 
however,  is  one  of  the  most  unstaple  forms  to  use. 
When  employed,  the  following  precaution  should  be 
taken.  When  employing  sulphate  of  iron  in  the  crystal¬ 
line  form,  see  to  it  that  only  the  fresh  crystals  are 
used.  This  will  be  of  a  glossy  appearance.  When 
exposed  to  the  air,  the  water  of  crystallization  evapor¬ 
ates,  leaving  a  white  powder  on  the  exterior  of  crystal. 
This  represents  much  more  iron  than  the  same  weight 
of  crystal  and  thus  the  shade  of  the  stain  will  be  greatly 
changed.  It  will  be  darker,  which  may  not  be  noticed 
at  first,  but  if  it  is  allowed  to  continue  by  the  use  of  the 
same  stain  made  up  repeatedly,  the  drying  out  process 
at  the  same  time  increases  the  amount  of  iron  in  each 
batch,  finally  these  will  be  so  much  different  in  the 
color  produced,  that  one  would  not  imagine  them  to  be 
of  one  and  the  same  formula. 

It  is  to  be  recommended  in  establishing  new  for¬ 
mulas,  to  use  the  dried  sulphate  of  iron.  This  is  a 
staple  compound  and  none  of  the  foregoing  difficulties 
will  be  encountered. 

In  stains  that  are  made  up  for  immediate  use,  the 
standardized  solutions  of  iron  are  recommended.  Solu¬ 
tion  chloride  of  iron  U.  S.  P.  or  solution  sulphate  of 
iron  U.  S.  P.  are  undoubtedly  the  most  readily  obtained. 
A  very  small  quantity  will  produce  immediate  effect  on 
practically  all  woods,  especially  those  rich  in  tannin. 


CHAPTER  XLVI. 


FINISHING  GUM  AND  ITS  USES. 


THE  uses  that  gum  wood  are  put  to  today  are  quite 
diversified.  It  is  put  out  as  Circassian,  and  as 
mahogany,  but  now  there  is  a  strong  disposition 
to  give  it  a  shade  and  put  it  out  under  a  style  of  its 
own.  At  the  same  time  it  makes  up  beautifully  when 
stained  to  produce  the  same  as  that  of  the  adopted 
color  for  American  walnut.  The  stain  material  em¬ 
ployed  is  nothing  more  than  walnut  crystals,  and 
imported  dye,  universally  known  to  the  trade,  and  a 
very  weak  solution  at  that.  The  dye  is  prepared  by 
dissolving  any  given  quantity  in  boiling  hot  water, 
allowing  it  to  cool  and  then  passing  it  through  a  filter. 
This  concentrated  solution  is  then  diluted  until  it  pro¬ 
duces  the  desired  shade.  One  coat  of  stain  is  all  that  is 
applied.  From  this  step  on  the  procedure  is  the  same 
as  in  any  finishing  problem. 

Whether  it  is  gum  wood  or  Circassian  that  is  to  be 
finished  as  Circassian  walnut,  the  question  of  the  last 
coat  always  spells  lacquer.  Circassian,  as  we  know, 
is  finished  in  natural.  Gum  is  only  stained  to  bring 
it  to  its  natural  Circassian  color.  Some  call  it  over¬ 
coming  the  red  in  the  gum.  The  final  achievement 
must  be  an  exact  reproduction  of  the  genuine  article. 
What  can  be  produced  by  the  use  of  wax  is  known  to 
every  manufacturer.  The  use  of  lacquer  remains  an 
unsettled  opinion.  Its  use  is  not  new,  having  first  been 
employed  on  a  finish  put  out  on  gum  as  satin  walnut 
and  in  connection  with  verda  green. 

Gum  wood,  with  a  very  small  amount  of  stain,  will 
make  a  much  more  pleasing  appearance  than  if  finished 
natural.  Without  the  stain,  it  takes  on  various  tones 
of  cold  gray  which  is  difficult  to  describe,  but  which  it 
is  certain  does  not  have  the  pleasing  effect  which  comes 
with  warm  tones  which  are  more  desirable  and  will 
wear  better.  Therefore,  the  application  of  this  brown 
overcomes  this  possible  difficulty,  and  as  the  wood  ages 
it  tends  to  mellow  down  the  cold  effect  that  the  gum 


WALNUT 

CRYSTALS 

EMPLOYED. 


GUM  WOOD 
PRODUCES  BET 
TER  THAN  NAT 
URAL  FINISH. 


244 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


ONE  COAT 
STAIN  FOR 
VAN  DYKE. 


wood  is  prone  to  assume.  This  does  not  necessarily 
cover  the  process  of  staining  gum  wood  when  it  is  used 
as  a  substitute  for  American  walnut.  In  other  words, 
the  gum  wood  used  in  this  sphere  is  stained  to  match 
the  prevailing  style  of  American  walnut,  and  finished 
in  the  same  manner.  The  main  point  is  transparency, 
such  as  one  wants  on  Circassian  finishes.  By  Circassian 
finishes,  is  meant,  of  course,  all  the  kindred  kinds. 

When  finished  as  Van  Dyke,  and  the  formula  pub- 
pared  and  ready  for  the  staining,  a  one  coat  stain  is 
preferable.  Whether  it  be  a  water  stain,  spirit  stain, 
or  oil  stain,  it  is  not  to  be  filled.  White  shellac  is  used 
rather  thin,  sanded  lightly,  and  the  varnish  coats. 
Any  style  of  final  finish  may  be  employed. 

When  finished  as  Van  Dyke,  and  the  formula  pub¬ 
lished  employed,  the  directions  there  given  will  bring 
the  proper  results.  This  is  true  when  finished  as  moss 
brown,  verda  green  or  any  of  the  other  finishes  that 
may  be  applied  to  gum. 


CHAPTER  XLVII. 


SYSTEM  IN  MATCHING  STAIN  COLORS. 

WE  WILL  admit  that  a  very  important  part  of 
the  finisher’s  daily  routine  is  the  matching  of 
colors  sent  to  him  representing  the  style  and 
shade  of  finish  for  a  special  order.  Undoubtedly,  the 
house  that  is  selling  the  goods  has  a  portion  of  the 
order  placed  with  some  other  factory — yes,  possibly 
two  or  three.  It  is  up  to  each  finisher  making  a  portion 
of  the  order  to  make  as  close  a  match  and  duplication 
of  the  sample  sent  him  as  possible.  A  great  amount 
of  time  is  thus  taken  in  experimental  work.  The  big 
mistake,  however,  is  that  these  matchings  are  hurriedly 
made  and  the  different  treatments  are  not  permitted  to 
ripen.  Thus  the  sample  is  not  correctly  matched  because 
after  it  has  stood  for  a  week  the  color  may  change  con¬ 
siderably.  Therefore,  if  the  operation  is  hurriedly 
done,  although  the  match  at  the  time  may  be  per¬ 
fect,  the  regular  work  that  comes  through  may  be 
several  shades  off. 

In  my  experiments  I  have  found  that  time  is  gained 
by  giving  the  stain  coat  the  same  amount  of  time  as  it 
would  receive  in  the  regular  line  of  work.  The  pro¬ 
cedure  is  about  as  follows: 

Having  had  the  advantage  of  matching  hundreds 
of  boards,  it  follows  one  gets  an  idea  of  how  the  color 
was  made.  Every  time  a  new  sample  comes  in,  it  is 
easy  to  turn  back  and,  by  comparison,  pick  out  the 
sample  that  comes  nearest  to  matching,  and  then 
change  the  formula  enough  to  produce  a  similar  shade 
to  the  new  board  just  received.  But  in  a  factory  the 
proposition  may  be  somewhat  different.  The  foreman 
may  have  been  working  on  a  limited  line  of  colors. 
Again  he  will  not  have  on  hand  a  large  variety  of 
shades  to  make  up  his  matching.  But  if  he  has  been 
following  these  articles,  he  undoubtedly  is  familiar 
with  the  few  absolutely  requisite  color  products,  and 
the  chemicals,  and  the  anilines,  and  has  them  on  hand. 
I  have  stated  that  time  is  saved  by  giving  the  stain 


IMPORTANCE  OT 

MATCHING 

COLOR. 


PROCEDURE  IN 
MATCHING. 


246 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


WORK  FROM 
DARK  TO  LIGHT. 


TESTING 

SAMPLES. 


coat  the  regular  amount  of  time  to  dry  and  to  set.  This 
applies  to  either  water,  spirit  or  oil  stains.  But  if  each 
matching  was  to  be  given  this  amount  of  time  the 
customer  would  be  calling  for  the  goods  long  before 
the  shade  was  matched  by  the  finisher.  Therefore,  I 
recommend  that  first  the  finisher  make  a  strong  solu¬ 
tion  which  he  knows  is  too  dark,  and  then  make  10 
more  dilutions,  until  he  has  one  which  he  knows  is 
right.  You  will  see  at  once  that  there  will  be  10  inter¬ 
mediate  points.  Now  then,  when  these  10  little  boards 
dry  out  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  select  the  one  which 
matches  closest. 

Where  a  two-stain  proposition  is  to  be  handled,  the 
same  method  is  recommended,  for  the  second  coat  is 
prepared  in  the  same  way  and  applied  in  the  same 
routine  and  permitted  to  dry.  But  it  will  be  seen  that 
the  10  original  pieces  can  be  made  into  a  hundred 
matchings,  as  each  one  of  the  10  can  be  coated  with 
the  10  of  the  second  stain.  When  you  first  look  at  a 
proposition  of  this  kind  it  may  stagger  you,  and  you 
will  say  to  yourself,  “Why,  this  man  wants  me  to  make 
100  test  samples.”  Not  so  at  all.  You  lay  the  first  10 
little  pieces,  say  a  board  four  inches  wide  and  12  inches 
long.  Lay  the  10  of  them  alongside,  then  take  your  10 
dilutions  of  the  second  coat  and  brush  over  the  entire 
10.  With  a  lead  pencil  mark  each  board  “top.”  Then, 
from  the  top  down,  you  cross  the  ten  boards  10  times 
with  each  one  representing  first  solution,  then  with  the 
first  dilution,  and  so  on  until  you  have  10  boards,  the 
first  coat  of  which  has  been  crossed  10  times,  with  the 
result  that  you  have  100  squares  made  out  of  two 
stains,  showing  100  different  shades.  The  chances  are 
very  good  that  you  will  have  some  difficulty  in  selecting 
from  a  few  the  one  that  suits  you  best. 

But  don’t  stop  here.  Finish  up  the  entire  10  in  the 
same  manner  as  the  board  sent  in  was  finished.  You 
know  how  to  test  this  sample  as  to  its  finish,  whether 
it  is  wax,  varnish  or  just  shellac.  Find  this  out  and 
then  proceed  to  finish  the  board  in  the  same  manner. 
It  might  be  well  for  me  to  say,  however,  that  if  the 
wood  was  filled,  you  have  got  to  put  on  the  filler  and 
establish  in  your  own  mind  the  depth  of  color  of  this 


SYSTEM  IN  MATCHING  STAIN  COLORS 


247 


material.  Fillers  don’t  vary  so  very  much  and  if  they 
do,  make  up  your  mind  that  there  are  only  three  or  four 
pigments  usually  employed  in  their  makeup. 

Of  course,  the  kind  of  wood  employed  makes  a  good 
deal  of  difference.  You  are  supposed  to  have  selected 
for  your  samples  the  same  kind  of  wood,  as  near  the 
grain  as  possible,  and,  of  course,  you  found  out  whether 
it  was  red  or  white  oak.  In  short,  you  have  gone 
through  all  these  preliminaries  and  have  filled  the  wood 
and  are  now  prepared  to  put  on  the  final  finish.  Go 
right  along,  put  on  the  shellac,  give  it  the  regular  time, 
then  varnish,  let  it  dry  and  finish  to  match  the  sample. 
Now  it  is  up  to  the  final  matching.  Carefully  examine 
the  little  places.  You  have  numbered  the  boards,  you 
have  them  all  marked  “top.”  Put  them  in  the  same 
position  and  select  the  one  which  matches  to  your  own 
satisfaction.  Then  you  back  up  and  for  argument’s 
sake,  find  that  it  is  number  six  on  the  fifth  board.  The 
first  board  represented  your  first  solution.  You  may 
have  added  5  or  10  per  cent  of  water  for  each  dilu¬ 
tion.  Then  multiply  the  strength  of  your  stain  by  the 
number  of  the  board,  and  it  must  prove  up  to  strength 
of  the  original  board.  If  you  know  the  amount  of  stain 
powder  used  in  the  first  solution,  you  will  see  how 
readily  you  can  figure  out  the  strength  of  your  fifth 
board.  This  covers  the  first  coat. 


KIND  OF  WORK 
MAKES  GREAT 
DIFFERENCE. 


But  you  have  the  sixth  in  the  second  coat  which 
works  out  the  same  way.  Now  suppose  you  don’t  do  it 
on  the  percentage  basis  at  all  and  we  will  say  you  took 
a  quart  of  water  and  added  to  it  an  ounce  of  stain 
powder.  You  found  this  was  much  too  light.  I  would 
here  suggest,  then,  that  you  take  a  half  pint  of  water 
and  to  it  add  first  a  quarter  ounce  of  powder,  which  is 
the  same  strength  as  an  ounce  would  be  to  a  quart. 
Then  gradually  add  30  grains  of  powder  until  you 
have  a  shade  that  you  know  is  darker  than  it  really 
ought  to  be.  I  say  30  grains  because  30  grains  is  half 
of  a  dram,  and  it  keeps  your  figures  more  in  direct 
relation  to  the  weights  you  are  employing.  Conse¬ 
quently,  when  you  come  to  figure  it  will  enable  you  to 
avoid  the  many  little  pitfalls  which  are  due  to  errors 
in  calculation,  especially  when  you  are  increasing  your 


WORKING  ON 

PERCENTAGE 

BASIS. 


248 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM: 


PROCEDURE 

CONTINUED. 


ASCERTAINING 

CORRECT 

LENGTH. 


formula  in  weights  and  measures.  Then  again  you 
must  remember  that  the  amount  of  water  is  going  to 
increase  with  each  dilution.  You  take  eight  ounces  of 
water  to  begin  with  and  suppose  that  each  dilution  is 
made  by  the  use  of  one  more  additional  ounce  of  water. 
When  you  get  through  you  will  have  17  ounces  of  water 
in  the  10  dilutions.  The  17  ounces  of  water  will  repre¬ 
sent  the  same  amount  of  powder  that  was  contained  in 
the  original  eight.  As  a  rule,  I  have  found  that  you 
usually  find  by  this  method  the  fourth,  fifth  and  sixth 
dilutions  as  bringing  out  the  shades.  Of  course,  you 
thoroughly  understand  that  your  judgment  of  the 
colors  selected  has  been  correct,  but  if  it  was  the  fifth 
dilution  and  you  have  used  the  quarter  of  an  ounce, 
then  you  have  a  quarter  of  an  ounce  of  stain  powder 
in  13  ounces  of  water,  from  which  it  is  easily 
calculated  how  many  grains  would  be  to  the  gallon,  for 
you  would  divide  the  number  of  grains  by  13 
which  gives  you  the  number  of  grains  in  each  ounce. 
Then  you  would  multiply  by  the  number  of  ounces  con 
tained  in  a  gallon  and  thus  arrive  at  the  amount  of 
stain  powder  to  be  employed  to  each  gallon  of  water. 

But  suppose  that  the  powder  or  color  material  does 
not  give  you  the  desired  shade,  and  it  thus  becomes 
necessary  to  try  out  several  colors  in  order  to  produce 
the  shade.  Proceed  in  the  same  manner  and  if  you 
wish  to  assure  yourself  that  you  have  selected  colors 
that  will  make  the  shade,  take  a  graduate,  add  a  little 
of  the  one  in  which  you  have  the  most  confidence,  and 
then  shade  it  up  by  the  addition  of  the  other  two  or 
three  as  the  case  may  be,  until  this  preliminary  test 
convinces  you  that  you  have  the  correct  components. 
Then  start  out  to  ascertain  the  correct  strength.  Do  it 
in  the  same  manner.  Take  the  10  boards,  coat  each  one 
with  the  first  solution,  cross  it  with  the  second  solu¬ 
tion.  Go  back  to  the  first  way  with  the  third  solution 
and  so  on  until  all  the  solutions  have  been  applied. 
Somewhere  in  the  square  you  will  have  your  match. 
Then  you  figure  back  for  the  amount  of  powder  that 
you  require.  Now,  if  you  wish  to  prove  this,  weigh  out 
the  amount  of  powder  shown  you  by  the  key,  and  dis¬ 
solve  it  in  the  amount  of  water,  but  be  sure  not  to  fall 


SYSTEM  IN  MATCHING  STAIN  COLORS 


249 


into  this  pitfall.  The  most  natural  thing  to  do  is  to 
find  out  the  amount  of  powder  and  forget  to  multiply 
the  amount  of  water  employed.  In  other  words,  each 
color  had  been  dissolved  in  the  same  amount  of  water. 
Therefore,  it  becomes  necessary  to  multiply  the  amount 
of  water  by  the  number  of  colors  you  have  employed 
and  a  slight  error  becomes  greater  when  it  becomes 
absolutely  essential  to  see  to  it  that  a  complete  solution 
of  the  color  material  has  been  made.  If  you  wish  to 
be  absolutely  certain,  put  a  bit  of  cotton  in  a  small 
funnel  and  run  the  solution  through  this.  If  no  sedi¬ 
ment  is  left  on  the  cotton,  you  can  safely  go  ahead, 
but  if  there  is  sediment,  throw  the  cotton  and  the  sedi¬ 
ment  into  the  graduate  and  vessel  and  agitate  the  mix¬ 
ture  until  the  solution  is  complete.  Always  bear  in 
mind  that  you  are  operating  in  diminutive  quantities 
and  that  a  slight  error  becomes  greater  when  it  comes 
to  make  up  the  formula  into  gallon  lots. 

In  a  chemical  formula,  and  the  one  now  uppermost 
in  the  trade  is  fumed  oak,  I  strongly  recommend  doing 
the  varying  in  the  bichromate  of  potash  rather  than  in 
the  alkali,  such  as  caustic,  carbonate  of  potash  or 
ammonia,  as  the  effect  of  the  alkali  is  practically  gov¬ 
erned  by  the  one  ounce  to  the  gallon  formula,  and  the 
variance  of  the  shade  is  more  readily  produced  by  the 
strength  of  the  bichromate. 

Where  a  first  coat  of  tannic  or  pyrogallic  acid  is 
given,  increase  the  strength  in  the  pyrogallic  acid 
rather  than  in  the  strength  of  the  tannic  acid,  and  bear 
in  mind  that  the  atmosphere  has  a  whole  lot  to  do  in 
turning  these  chemicals  brown.  That  pyrogallic  acid 
mixed  with  an  alkali  turns  brown,  and  that  some  of  the 
most  beautiful  shades  of  brown  can  be  produced  by 
mixing  a  solution  of  pyrogallic  acid  with  carbonate  of 
soda  or  potash,  and  sulphite  of  soda,  coating  the  wood 
with  this  and  entirely  omitting  the  bichromate,  is  true. 
To  those  who  are  not  using  a  fuming  box,  let  me  sug¬ 
gest  that  they  make  a  few  experiments.  In  the  few 
preceding  sentences,  we  have  told  the  trade  something. 
We  have  told  more  than  is  realized,  we  believe,  and  if 
the  manufacturer  be  alert  he  can  work  upon  the  fore¬ 
going  suggestions  to  his  own  surprise  and  satisfaction. 


TESTING  iH! 
SOLUTION. 


EFFECT  OF 
ATMOSPHERE 
ON  CHEMICALS. 


250 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


AGE  OF  FINISH 
OF  GOLDEN 
OAK  AFFECTS 
MATCHING. 


In  golden  oak,  where  a  board  is  sent  in  to  be 
matched,  endeavor  to  make  up  your  mind  whether  it 
has  been  of  recent  finish  or  whether  it  is  an  old  sample. 
Make  up  your  mind  whether  it  is  one  in  which  the 
effect  has  been  produced  by  the  use  of  a  colored  filler, 
by  which  I  mean  a  filler  stain  in  which  some  of  the 
stain  material  has  been  incorporated.  This  you  can 
usually  tell  by  closely  examining  the  flake  and  the 
smooth  portions  of  the  wood.  Don’t  look  at  the  pores 
at  all.  If  the  smooth  portions  present  an  uniformity  of 
color,  you  may  conclude  that  the  piece  was  originally 
stained  and  then  filled.  And  again  you  know  that  prac¬ 
tically  all  the  golden  oak  is  made  by  the  use  of  an  oil 
stain.  Asphaltum  being  the  base,  the  color  is  aug¬ 
mented  by  the  use  of  an  oil  soluble  yellow,  brown  and 
black.  A  good  quality  of  asphaltum  is  required,  and 
in  a  case  of  this  kind,  proceed  about  as  follows : 

Dilute  the  asphaltum  with  an  equal  part  of  turpen¬ 
tine.  Make  the  solution  of  the  three  colors,  that  is 
three  separate  solutions,  all  of  a  known  strength.  Then 
add  to  each  enough  of  the  asphaltum  solution  until  you 
have  the  shade,  judging  the  shade  by  the  flakes  only, 
applying  the  stain  and  wiping  off  with  a  rag  which  has 
been  wet  with  naphtha.  Add  just  enough  naphtha 
to  take  off  the  stain  clean,  for  you  will  find  that  this 
stain  will  look  like  a  brown  varnish.  You  will  also 
notice  that  by  the  addition  of  colors  to  the  asphaltum 
solution  you  have  diluted  this  solution,  all  of  which 
must  be  taken  into  your  calculations  when  making  up 
the  larger  formula.  When  this  formula  is  produced 
and  you  are  ready  to  go  ahead,  make  up  the  stain  and 
instead  of  wiping  off  with  a  rag,  fill  it  with  an  uncol¬ 
ored  filler.  The  spreading  of  the  filler  will  take  up 
the  excess  stain,  and  color  the  filler  as  it  is  rubbed  into 
the  pores.  Then,  of  course,  when  this  is  done,  clean 
up.  Care  must  be  taken  in  matching  to  go  very  easy 
on  the  yellow,  depending  largely  upon  the  asphaltum  to 
produce  this  yellow  shade. 

While  golden  oak  is  supposed  to  be  a  more  uniform 
color,  you  will  find  by  observing  factory  samples  much 
variance  in  shade  is  seen,  and  the  nicety  of  match  can 
be  made  by  following  the  above  suggestions. 


CHAPTER  XL VIII. 


SURFACING  AND  VARNISHING. 


IN  ORDER  to  insure  a  durable  finish  goods  should 
never  be  surfaced  until  the  filler  is  thoroughly  dry. 
This  usually  takes  from  24  to  48  hours.  Even  if 
one  is  in  a  hurry  for  the  goods,  it  will  be  better  to  make 
sure  that  the  filler  is  dry  because  if  it  is  not  and  the 
surfacing  and  varnishing  proceeded  with,  much  more 
time  will  be  lost  through  the  imperfect  oxidation  of  the 
oil  in  the  filler  and  the  effect  this  will  have  upon  the 
subsequent  coats  than  has  been  gained.  Filler  that  has 
been  subjected  to  a  temperature  of  70  degrees  F.  for  24 
hours  may  appear  to  be  dry,  and  if  the  goods  are  a 
cheap  grade  and  will  receive  only  one  coat  of  varnish  it 
might  be  safe  to  go  ahead  and  coat  them  up.  In  fact, 
some  factories  making  a  cheap  line  of  goods  coat  all  of 
their  stuff  within  24  hours  after  it  is  filled.  But  a  large 
percentage  of  these  same  shops  have  considerable 
trouble  with  “printing.”  These  factories  find  it  almost 
impossible  to  pack  their  goods  for  shipment  so  that 
the  impress  of  the  wrapping  paper  is  not  left  upon  the 
varnish.  Some  shops  making  a  medium  and  high  grade 
line  are  trying  to  crowd  their  goods  ahead  quickly 
during  the  early  stages  of  the  finishing  process,  and  no 
matter  what  time  they  give  their  varnish  to  dry  they 
have  trouble  with  printing. 

If  there  is  one  time  more  than  another  when 
patience  should  be  considered  a  virtue  in  the  finishing 
room  that  time  is  during  the  early  stages  of  the  finish¬ 
ing  process.  It  is  now  the  foundation  of  the  future 
beauty  of  the  goods  is  being  laid  and  much  depends  on 
how  the  work  is  done.  These  remarks  apply  of  course 
to  factories  that  keep  their  finishing  rooms  at  a  tem¬ 
perature  of  about  70  degrees  F.  Where  the  highest 
quality  of  a  durable  finish  is  desired  the  installation  of 
a  high  temperature  drying  system  may  well  be  con¬ 
sidered.  Goods  finished  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago  in 
a  temperature  of  70  degrees  still  look  well.  Will  the 


SURFACE 
WHEN  GOODS 
ARE  DRY. 


IMPORTANCE 
OF  EARLY  WORK 
BEING  DONE 
WELL. 


252 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


AVOID  GREAT 
TEMPERATURE 
CHANGES  IN 
VARNISH. 


WHAT  IS 
THE  BEST 
SURFACER? 


same  thing  be  said  25  years  hence  of  goods  finished 
today  in  a  temperature  of  130  degrees?  If  we  will  not 
be  able  to  do  so  it  will  not  be  because  the  system  is 
wrong  but  because  we  have  applied  the  system  to  the 
wrong  material. 

Varnish  makers  of  the  past  decade  have  been  en¬ 
deavoring  to  produce  a  varnish  that  will  give  good 
results  in  a  temperature  of  70  degrees,  and  suddenly 
and  without  any  change  in  its  composition  to  submit 
it  to  a  temperature  of  130  degrees  is  certainly  a 
problematical  experiment.  Unless  varnish,  after  it  is 
thoroughly  dry,  retains  a  certain  amount  of  its  original 
elasticity  it  cannot  withstand  the  varying  tempera¬ 
tures  to  which  it  will  be  subjected.  We  know  that 
varnish  that  is  subjected  to  a  very  low  temperature 
within  a  few  hours  after  being  applied  loses  its  elas¬ 
ticity  much  sooner  than  would  otherwise  be  the  case, 
and  very  often  cracks  before  it  leaves  the  factory. 
Whether  extreme  heat  will  produce  a  similar  result  has 
yet  to  be  determined  and  the  question  cannot  be  settled 
for  some  time  to  come. 

However,  in  the  natural  order  of  things,  the  more 
rapid  systems  for  the  finishing  room  that  are  knocking 
at  our  doors  must  be  admitted  sooner  or  later,  and  they 
are  bound  to  stay  with  us.  When  varnish  makers  take 
the  new  order  of  things  into  consideration  and  adapt 
their  wares  to  it,  the  system  of  rapid  processes  in  the 
finishing  room  will  be  recognized  as  the  standard  of  up- 
to-dateness  and  finishers  will  listen  to  the  veteran’s 
tales  of  today  and  wonder  at  the  snail-like  pace  of  that 
bygone  age.  That  time  is  coming. 

What  constitutes  the  best  surfacer  is  a  question  that 
has  received  serious  consideration  in  many  quarters  for 
several  years.  For  many  years  shellac  was  the  stand¬ 
ard  surfacer  for  all  kinds  of  work,  but  when  the  price 
rose  from  15  to  65  cents  per  pound,  a  demand  was 
created  for  a  more  moderate  priced  article  and  the 
varnish  surfaces  came  into  being.  But  varnish  sur- 
facers  have  not  always  given  entire  satisfaction.  This 
was  not  because  in  the  nature  of  the  case  a  varnish  sur¬ 
facer  was  not  a  good  thing,  but  because  many  surfacers 
were  made  of  cheap  materials  and  were  used  on  work 


SURFACING  AND  VARNISHING 


253 


for  which  they  were  entirely  unsuited.  The  majority 
of  varnish  surfacers  contain  a  pigment  and  for  that 
reason  must  be  used  with  extreme  caution  on  woods 
that  are  easily  clouded.  On  oak  a  varnish  pigment 
surfacer  is  preferable  to  shellac.  This  applies  only 
to  such  oak  finishes  as  are  bodied  up  with  varnish 
and  are  stained  with  a  stain  which  turpentine  will 
not  lift.  Turpentine  stains  must  be  held  down  with 
a  coat  of  thin  shellac  before  they  can  be  filled  with  oil 
filler,  and  the  stain  that  will  lift  with  an  oil  filler  will 
lift  with  a  varnish  surfacer.  A  varnish  surfacer  may 
be  used,  however,  as  a  first  coater  over  such  stains  after 
the  wood  has  been  filled. 

Every  finisher  can  make  his  own  surfacer,  which  is 
a  comparatively  simple  matter,  and  by  making  it  him¬ 
self  he  can  have  a  high  grade  article  at  the  price  of  an 
inferior  one. 

In  making  surfacer  it  is  well  to  use  the  same  grade 
of  varnish  that  will  be  used  for  bodying  up.  It  has 
been  difficult  to  understand  the  process  of  reasoning 
by  which  men  come  to  the  conclusion  that  there  is  some 
advantage  in  laying  a  foundation  of  cheap  material. 
The  axiom  that  “the  chain  is  no  stronger  than  its  weak¬ 
est  link”  is  as  true  here  as  elsewhere.  A  heavily  coated 
piano  may  have  the  under  coats  of  varnish  badly 
cracked  while  the  outer  coats  are  yet  good.  But  so 
far  as  the  appearance  is  concerned,  the  outer  coats 
may  be  of  the  same  material  as  the  under  ones,  because 
the  cracks  show  through,  and  soon  the  outer  coats  are 
cracked  also. 

One  of  the  disadvantages  of  a  varnish  surfacer  is 
that  it  ought  not  to  be  coated  over  the  same  day  that  it 
is  applied,  whereas  shellac  may  be  coated  over  inside 
of  a  few  hours.  If  one  will  put  his  stuff  through  the 
finishing  room  in  a  systematic  way,  this  seeming  dis¬ 
advantage  will  not  be  noticed.  Allow  a  given  time 
between  every  operation,  then  every  job  will  be  ready 
for  the  next  process  when  it  is  required,  and  it  will  be 
required  when  it  is  ready. 

The  following  formula  has  been  tested  for  several 
years  and  when  made  of  good  materials  it  has  no 
superior : 


MOST  VARNISH 
SURFACERS 
CONTAIN 
PIGMENT. 


USE  SAME 
GRADE  FOR 
SURFACER  AS 
FOR  BODY. 


254 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


TESTED 
FORMULA  FOR 
SURFACER. 


LESS  VARNISH 
USED  THAN 
WHEN  SHELLAC 
IS  USED. 


1  gallon  Varnish. 

i/2  gallon  Brown  Japan. 

1  quart  Pure  Turpentine. 

6  lbs.  very  fine  Silex. 

Mix  the  first  three  liquids  and  allow  them  to  stand 
for  half  an  hour  or  so  and  then  put  in  the  silex.  It  is 
well  to  sift  the  silex  to  remove  any  foreign  substance 
and  reduce  any  lumps.  Allow  the  mixture  to  stand  24 
hours;  strain  through  book  muslin  and  reduce  with 
benzine  as  required  to  the  proper  consistency.  When 
using  keep  it  well  stirred  from  the  bottom. 

The  proper  proportion  of  silex  to  japan  and  varnish 
depends  on  the  body  of  these  two  parts.  In  the  fore¬ 
going  formula  it  is  one  pound  of  silex  to  a  quart  of  the 
liquids.  That  proportion  is  correct  for  a  varnish  with 
a  good  body.  The  quantity  may  be  increased  or 
decreased  as  the  actual  working  out  may  prove  to  be 
required.  It  should  dry  flat,  but  not  too  dead.  If  too 
dead,  less  silex  should  be  used.  When  the  proper  pro¬ 
portion  of  the  ingredients  has  been  used,  it  will  sand 
almost  as  easy  as  shellac,  and  produce  a  beautiful, 
smooth  surface  for  the  varnish.  It  does  not  require  to 
be  brushed  more  than  enough  to  spread  it  out,  and  it 
may  be  put  on  as  heavy  as  one  may  wish  without 
danger  of  crawling. 

One  of  the  chief  advantages  of  a  surfacer  of  this 
kind  is  that  being  of  the  same  material  as  the  varnish, 
the  two  will  unite  much  more  perfectly  than  will  shellac 
and  varnish,  and  there  is  less  danger  of  the  latter 
chipping  off. 

A  surfacer  of  this  kind  has  no  equal  for  medium 
close-grained  woods  such  as  curly  birch  and  bird’s-eye 
maple  which  are  to  be  finished  natural  color.  In  addi¬ 
tion  to  making  a  perfect  surface  for  the  varnish,  it  fills 
up  all  the  minute  pores  of  the  wood  and,  consequently, 
less  varnish  is  required  than  when  shellac  is  used.  For 
these  finishes  the  surfacer  is  applied  on  the  bare  wood 
and  no  filler  is  required. 

To  finish  maple  stained  mahogany,  this  surfacer 
may  be  applied  to  the  stained  wood  without  filling,  but 
it  would  be  advisable  to  add  a  little  extra  varnish  to 
prevent  clouding.  The  pores  of  stained  wood,  if  a 


SURFACING  AND  VARNISHING 


255 


spirit  or  water  stain  has  been  used,  are  more  open  than 
when  the  wood  is  in  the  white  and  are  liable  to  draw 
the  varnish  away  from  the  pigment  and  leave  it  opaque 
and  gray.  But  if  a  first  class  job  is  desired  a  better 
way  would  be  to  apply  to  the  stained  wood  a  coat  of 
very  thin  shellac  before  the  surfacer  is  applied.  This 
will  enable  one  to  make  a  perfectly  smooth  foundation 
for  the  surfacer.  The  shellac  will  seal  up  the  minute 
cells  of  the  wood,  and  when  sanded  will  remove  any 
fuzz  which  the  stain  may  have  raised.  A  foundation 
for  the  varnish  prepared  in  this  way  will  require  much 
less  varnish  and  less  rubbing  to  produce  a  high  class 
finish. 

What  is  known  as  Surfaced  Oak  or  Golden  Oak 
Finish  is  an  imitation  oak  finish  with  the  figure  of 
quartered  oak  printed  on  the  wood.  Some  factories 
have  trouble  with  the  figure  chipping  off.  Where  this 
trouble  is  experienced,  the  cause  is  usually  in  the  fact 
that  the  printing  was  done  on  a  coat  of  surfacer  instead 
of  on  the  bare  wood. 

This  imitation  oak  is  best  made  on  wood  which 
shows  very  little  of  its  own  figure  and  has  very  little 
color.  Birch  and  maple  and  sometimes  basswood  and 
other  light  colored  woods  are  used  usually.  The  wood 
is  not  stained,  because  to  do  so  would  draw  out  its 
figure.  The  color  is  built  up  with  the  various  coats. 
To  prevent  these  colored  coats  from  drawing  out  the 
natural  figure  of  the  wood,  a  coat  of  pale,  colorless 
surfacer  is  applied  to  the  bare  wood,  and  the  color  is 
built  on  top  of  this.  Some  finishers  put  this  pale  sur¬ 
facer  on  before  the  stock  is  put  through  the  printing 
machine.  That  is  a  mistake.  The  better  way  would 
be  to  do  the  printing  on  the  bare  wood  and  put  the  pale 
surfacer  on  top  of  the  printing.  In  this  way  the  print¬ 
ing  will  last  as  long  as  the  wood  lasts  and  there  will  be 
no  trouble  from  chipping.  When  the  printing  comes 
in  between  two  coats  a  good  union  is  not  formed ;  hence 
the  frequent  trouble. 

While  this  varnish  pigment  surfacer  is  adapted  for 
a  great  many  woods  and  finishes,  there  is  one  wood  for 
which  we  cannot  recommend  it,  and  that  is  mahogany. 
It  may  be  used  even  on  this  wood  if  it  is  to  be  finished 


METHOD  OF 
STAINING 
MAPLE  AS 
MAHOGANY. 


IMITATION 
OAK  FINISH. 


256 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


PIGMENT 
SURFACER  NOT 
GOOD  ON 
MAHOGANY. 


THE  USE  OF 

BLEACHED 

SHELLAC. 


a  very  light  color,  and  the  surfacer  is  made  with  a  very 
small  quantity  of  the  pigment.  But  this  is  not  desir¬ 
able.  The  best  surfacer  for  mahogany  is  bleached 
shellac.  This  should  not  be  used  very  heavy ;  not  more 
than  two  pounds  of  gum  to  the  gallon  of  solvent. 
Methylated  spirits  or  denatured  alcohol,  if  pure  grain 
alcohol  cannot  be  obtained,  should  be  used  as  a  solvent. 

In  using  bleached  shellac  the  utmost  care  must  be 
exercised.  Bleached  shellac  is  a  very  perishable  article, 
as  a  result  of  the  method  of  producing  it.  It  is  ordinary 
orange  shellac  from  which  the  yellow  matter  has  been 
chemically  extracted.  The  chemicals  used  are  chloride 
of  lime,  muriatic  acid  and  soda.  These  are  washed  out 
as  far  as  possible  after  the  bleaching  process  is  com¬ 
pleted,  after  which  the  shellac  is  dried.  But  it  is  not 
always  possible  to  wash  out  every  particle  of  these 
chemicals,  and  these  particles  that  remain  bring  about 
in  time  a  condition  known  as  “calsing,”  and  the  shellac 
becomes  insoluble,  or  only  partially  so.  This  condition 
may  be  detected  by  straining  through  book  muslin  or 
cheese  cloth.  If  it  is  found  to  contain  particles  of 
shellac  that  have  not  dissolved  within  a  reasonable 
time,  it  is  not  safe  to  use  it.  The  use  of  such  shellac 
will  produce  a  milky  cast  to  the  finish  which  will  show 
distinctly  in  a  clear  light. 

Bleached  shellac  should  not  be  applied  in  a  cool, 
damp  atmosphere.  If  the  humidity  is  high  it  will  not 
work  freely  and  when  drying  is  apt  to  show  white  in 
places,  especially  where  it  has  lapped  when  being 
brushed  on.  This  whiteness  will  disappear  when  the 
shellac  becomes  dry,  but  it  may  not  resume  its  clear¬ 
ness  and  is  likely  to  give  the  finish  a  clouded  effect.  To 
prevent  this,  raise  the  temperature  of  the  room  until 
the  humidity  is  below  the  danger  point.  This  can  be 
determined  by  the  way  the  shellac  works.  Shellac 
should  be  applied  quickly  and  with  as  little  brushing 
as  possible. 

A  sandpaper  with  a  very  fine  cutting  surface  and 
soft  back  should  be  used  for  sanding  shellac.  We  can¬ 
not  give  the  grade  because  all  makes  of  paper  are  not 
graded  alike.  If  the  paper  clogs  it  is  caused  by  one  of 
two  things.  Either  the  shellac  is  not  dry  enough  or  it 


SURFACING  AND  VARNISHING 


257 


is  adulterated.  In  sanding  large  surfaces  it  is  well  to 
use  a  soft  block.  Thick  felt,  such  as  is  used  by  rubbers, 
makes  a  fine  sanding  block.  Large  surfaces  can  be 
sanded  much  quicker  and  more  evenly  when  a  block  is 
used  for  holding  the  paper  than  when  the  paper  is  held 
in  the  hand.  If  any  edges  are  sanded  through,  they 
should  be  re-stained  and  shellaced  before  being  var¬ 
nished.  This  re-shellacing  is  necessary  because  if  any 
of  the  stain  laps  over  on  the  shellac  it  will  likely  show 
green  after  the  varnish  is  applied.  The  shellac  will 
prevent  this. 

Goods  should  be  thoroughly  dusted  before  they  enter 
the  varnish  room.  Too  many  finishers  are  careless  in 
this  respect.  They  see  that  the  parts  to  be  varnished 
are  dusted  nicely,  but  give  no  care  to  the  rest.  This 
is  a  mistake.  The  varnish  room  should  be  kept  as  free 
from  dust  as  possible  and  this  can  be  accomplished  only 
by  not  allowing  it  to  enter. 

Varnish  should  never  be  put  on  in  a  lower  tempera¬ 
ture  than  70  degrees  F.  and  the  varnish  should  also  be 
as  near  that  heat  as  possible.  Varnish  will  work  more 
freely  in  a  high  temperature,  and  when  the  wood,  the 
varnish  and  surrounding  atmosphere  are  about  the 
above  named  temperature,  conditions  are  ideal. 

The  first  coat  of  varnish  ought  not  to  be  quite  as 
heavy  as  the  succeeding  coats.  If  a  medium  heavy  var¬ 
nish  is  being  used  all  that  is  necessary  is  to  put  on 
just  a  little  less.  But  if  the  varnish  is  of  heavy  or  extra 
heavy  body  it  should  be  reduced  slightly  for  the  first 
coat.  The  best  varnish  reducer  is  thin  varnish.  To 
prepare  this  reducer,  take  one  part  varnish  (the  same 
varnish  that  is  to  be  reduced)  and  two  parts  pure  tur¬ 
pentine.  Shake  these  together  well  and  let  stand  24 
hours  before  using.  This  will  reduce  the  consistency 
of  the  varnish  without  tearing  down  the  body  as  pure 
turpentine  would. 

The  first  coat  of  varnish  should  be  allowed  to  dry 
thoroughly  before  the  second  is  applied.  Here  is  where 
a  great  many  finishers  make  a  fatal  mistake.  They  act 
on  the  assumption  that  the  first  coat  of  varnish  requires 
less  time  to  dry  than  the  second,  and  the  second  coat 
less  than  the  third,  etc.  Looking  at  it  from  their  view- 


IN  SANDING 

LARGE 

SURFACES. 


THIN  VARNISH 
IS  THE  BEST 
REDUCER. 


258 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


NEED  OF  DRY¬ 
ING  BETWEEN 
SUCCESSION 
OF  COATS. 


WHY  SOME 
FINISH  COATS 
DO  NOT  DRY. 


point  they  are  right,  but  their  viewpoint  is  wrong. 
From  their  point  of  observation  they  see  conditions 
which  ought  not  to  exist,  and  which  conditions  are  of 
their  own  making.  If  the  second  coat  of  varnish  it  put 
on  before  the  first  coat  is  perfectly  dry  and  hard,  we 
create  a  condition  which  renders  it  necessary  to  give 
more  time  to  the  second  coat  than  was  given  to  the  first, 
and  the  same  with  the  third  coat.  But  it  is  not  the  last 
coats  that  require  the  extra  time,  but  the  coats  that  are 
underneath.  By  putting  on  varnish  in  this  way  we  get 
on  three,  four  or  five  coats  as  the  case  may  be,  and  not 
one  of  them  dry.  Each  coat  stops  drying  the  very 
moment  the  next  coat  is  applied  and  does  not  resume 
until  the  condition  of  each  is  the  same.  In  fact,  unless 
the  previous  coat  has  reached  a  certain  stage  the  last 
coat  will  not  only  arrest  the  drying  process,  but  will 
enter  into  and  partially  dissolve  the  under  coat,  reduc¬ 
ing  it  to  a  semi-liquid  state. 

The  above  will  explain  the  reason  why  so  many 
finishers  find  it  impossible  to  get  their  varnish  dry  after 
applying  three  or  four  coats.  If  each  coat  were  allowed 
to  dry  thoroughly  before  the  application  of  the  suc¬ 
ceeding  coat,  much  time  would  be  saved  and  a  better 
job  assured. 

Where  varnish  is  to  be  rubbed  to  a  perfectly  smooth 
finish,  the  second  last  coat  should  not  be  allowed  to 
become  so  dry  that  a  complete  union  cannot  be  formed 
between  it  and  the  last  coat.  If  this  union  is  not  per¬ 
fect  and  the  rubber  goes  through  one  coat  into  the 
other,  the  break  between  the  two  varnishes  will  show 
up  in  patches.  It  is  not  likely  that  on  four-coated  work 
the  rubber  will  go  through  the  last  two  coats,  at  least 
he  ought  not  to;  consequently  it  will  be  quite  safe  to 
allow  the  first  two  coats  to  become  thoroughly  hardened 
before  the  third  is  applied.  When  this  is  done  a  much 
heavier  coat  may  be  put  on  for  the  third  coat  than 
would  otherwise  be  safe,  thus  minimizing  the  danger  of 
going  through.  When  this  coat  is  medium  dry,  the 
fourth  may  be  put  on. 

A  great  many  varnishers  are  puzzled  at  their  inabil¬ 
ity  to  do  clean  work,  while  a  fellow  workman  in  the 
same  room,  and  working  under  the  same  conditions, 


SURFACING  AND  VARNISHING 


259 


has  scarcely  a  speck  on  his  work.  Many  are  of  the 
opinion  that  there  is  some  great  secret  about  clean 
varnishing,  but  there  is  not.  On  the  contrary,  there  are 
many  little  ones.  Much  that  is  called  dirt  on  a  var¬ 
nished  surface  is  not  dirt  at  all,  but  particles  of  con¬ 
gealed  varnish  that  have  been  worked  oif  the  varnish 
pot  or  out  of  the  brush  and  spread  over  the  surface. 

It  is  a  common  thing  to  see  the  sides  and  edge  and 
crossbar  of  the  varnish  pot  heavily  coated  with  con¬ 
gealed  varnish,  the  accumulation  of  days  and  weeks  and  SECRETS  0F 
sometimes  months.  The  brush  coming  in  contact  with  D1,VJX^ 
this  congealed  mass  works  off  fine  particles  which  are 
gathered  up  with  the  varnish  and  spread  over  the 
surface.  These  particles  of  congealed  varnish  harden 
very  slowly  and  are  the  cause  of  much  of  the  trouble 
the  rubber  has  with  “pulling  out”  when  rubbing 
varnish  that  otherwise  ought  to  be  thoroughly  hard. 

The  remedy  for  all  this  is  to  keep  everything  clean. 

The  crossbar  of  the  varnish  pot  should  be  a  moveable 
one,  and  should  be  removed  from  the  pot  and  cleaned 
whenever  work  is  suspended  for  any  length  of  time. 

If  work  is  suspended  for  an  hour  or  so,  and  the  varnish 

is  left  on  the  crossbar,  it  will  congeal  partially  in  that 

time,  and  when  work  is  resumed  the  fresh  varnish 

will  soften  it  sufficiently  to  break  its  hold  and  it  will  be 

gathered  up  and  carried  along  in  the  fine  particles.  The 

top  and  outside  of  the  pot  should  be  cleaned  off  with  a 

cloth  and  a  little  benzine  every  noon  and  night.  When 

a  brush  not  in  use,  do  not  lay  it  down  in  such  a  way 

that  the  hair  will  come  in  contact  with  the  edge  or  sides 

of  the  pot.  A  block  of  wood,  two  inches  thick  and  VARNISH  CLE4N< 

about  eight  inches  square,  will  be  large  enough  to  lay 

them  on  with  the  hair  projecting  over  the  edge.  The 

hair  of  the  brush  should  not  be  allowed  to  come  in 

contact  with  anything  except  the  work  it  is  to  do. 

If  a  brush  is  to  be  out  of  use,  for  more  than  a  few 
minutes,  it  should  be  put  away  in  a  thin  varnish  or  pure 
turpentine  provided  for  that  purpose.  Care  should  be 
exercised  to  see  that  all  brushes  thus  out  of  commis¬ 
sion  have  the  hair  completely  immersed  in  the  liquid; 
otherwise  the  varnish  on  the  exposed  part  will  harden, 
and  when  the  brush  is  brought  into  use  again,  this  hard 


260 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


HOW  TO 
GET  PROPER 
DRYING  OF 
VARNISH. 


RUBBING  AND 
POLISHING. 


varnish  will  crumble  and  the  brush  will  be  known  as 
“lousy.” 

Attention  to  these  details  will  bring  relief  to  many 
a  varnisher  who  is  worrying  because  he  cannot  do  clean 
work  and  wondering  where  the  dirt  comes  from. 

The  conditions  necessary  for  the  proper  drying  of 
varnish  are  a  well  heated  atmosphere  with  facilities  for 
keeping  the  air  in  constant  circulation  and  replenishing 
the  supply  of  oxygen.  The  drying  of  varnish  is  quite 
different  from  the  drying  of  wood.  In  the  latter  case 
drying  means  the  expulsion  of  moisture  which  is  car¬ 
ried  away  in  the  form  of  vapor  by  the  air.  In  the 
former  case  the  varnish  extracts  from  the  air  as  it 
passes  by  an  element  known  as  oxygen  and  absorbs  it. 
Varnish  throws  off  very  little  moisture,  consequently 
the  term  “drying”  is  scarcely  the  correct  one.  It  is  a 
hardening  process  and  is  scientifically  known  as  oxida¬ 
tion,  the  oxidizing  of  the  oils  in  the  varnish  by  com¬ 
bining  them  with  oxygen  which  has  a  hardening  effect. 
Heat  is  necessary  to  the  proper  oxidation  because  it 
releases  the  oxygen  from  the  air,  and  at  the  same  time 
renders  the  varnish  more  receptive.  Circulation  of  air 
is  necessary  in  order  that  the  air  may  be  removed  from 
the  varnish  after  the  oxygen  has  been  extracted  and 
other  air  brought  in  its  place.  Ventilation  is  necessary 
in  order  that  the  air  that  has  been  depleted  of  oxygen 
may  escape  and  fresh  air  with  plenty  of  this  necessary 
element  admitted.  This  fresh  air  should  be  admitted  in 
such  a  way  that  it  will  not  become  a  disturbing  factor. 
It  should  be  admitted  in  small  but  steady  quantities 
at  various  parts  of  the  room,  so  that  it  may  readily 
diffuse  itself  throughout  the  whole  air  space  without  in 
any  perceptible  degree  affecting  the  temperature  of  the 
room. 

Rubbing  and  polishing  are  important  branches  of 
finishing.  It  is  here  that  the  final  touches  are  added 
and  no  matter  how  well  all  previous  work  may  have 
been  done,  it  will  all  count  for  naught,  and  may  be 
spoiled  entirely,  if  this  work  is  not  done  right.  Con¬ 
siderable  practice  is  required  before  one  can  be  an 
expert  rubber.  There  are  various  kinds  of  rubbing. 
There  is  the  rough  rubbing  on  carriage  and  automobile 


SURFACING  AND  VARNISHING 


261 


bodies  that  is  done  with  lump  pumice  and  water.  Some 
interior  finishers,  chiefly  among  house  painters  and 
finishers,  rub  with  fine  sandpaper  and  oil. 

In  piano  factories  there  is  the  coarse  rubbing  which 
is  rubbing  down  to  a  perfectly  smooth  surface  the  first 
coats  of  varnish  which  were  put  on  to  make  a  body  and 
give  the  finish  a  depth.  This  rubbing  is  done  to  pre¬ 
pare  the  body  for  the  final  flowing  or  polishing  coat. 
This  is  done  with  coarsely  ground  pumice  and  water, 
the  rubbing  being  done  with  blocks  of  thick  felt.  This 
rubbing  ought  not  to  be  done  until  the  varnish  is  thor¬ 
oughly  hard.  But  if  the  goods  are  wanted  rush,  a  little 
time  may  be  saved  by  rubbing  down  carefully  before 
the  varnish  is  quite  hard,  and  after  the  rubbing  allow 
the  remaining  varnish  to  harden  thoroughly  before  the 
flow  coat  is  applied.  The  rubbing  will  take  off  at  least 
from  one  and  one-half  to  two  coats  which  leaves  just 
that  much  less  to  harden.  In  any  event  a  few  hours 
should  elapse  before  the  flow  coat  is  applied  after  the 
body  has  been  rubbed. 

Then  comes  the  fine  rubbing.  This  is  done  with  fine 
felt  and  finely  pulverized,  sifted  and  bolted  rotten  stone 
and  water.  This  rubbing  is  done  on  the  flow  or  polish¬ 
ing  coat  and  the  utmost  care  must  be  taken  not  to  rub 
through  to  the  under  coats.  This  coat  when,  properly 
applied  is  very  clean  and  smooth  and,  therefore, 
requires  very  little  rubbing;  the  main  thing  being  to 
rub  it  evenly  all  over.  After  the  fine  rubbing,  12  to  24 
hours  should  elapse  before  polishing. 

The  old  method  of  hand  polishing  is  still  in  vogue 
in  many  piano  factories.  This  is  done  by  slightly 
moistening  the  hand  with  water  and  with  a  very  small 
quantity  of  very  fine  rotten  stone,  rubbing  the  varnish 
with  the  hand,  using  a  circular  motion.  The  quantity 
of  rotten  stone  is  gradually  diminished  until  none  what¬ 
ever  is  on  the  hand  and  the  final  polishing  is  done  with 
the  bare  hand,  after  which  the  surface  is  oiled  with 
sweet  oil  and  cleaned  off  dry. 

In  furniture  factories  this  method  of  finishing  very 
rarely  Is  carried  out.  The  goods  are  varnished  with 
the  same  grade  of  varnish  throughout  and  the  rubbing 
and  polishing  follow  each  other  on  the  varnish  put  on 


COARSE  RUB¬ 
BING  WITH 
PUMICE  STONE. 


USE  OF 

ROTTEN  STONE. 


262 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


METHOD  USED 
IN  FURNITURE 
FACTORIES. 


FELT  USED 
IN  RUBBING 
WITH  PUMICE. 


for  a  body.  If  the  goods  are  to  be  polished  they  first 
should  be  rubbed  down  smooth  with  water  and  medium 
coarse  pumice  stone,  using  felt  as  a  rubbing  block. 
Plenty  of  water  should  be  kept  on  the  work  to  prevent 
the  varnish  caking  on  the  bottom  of  the  block.  No 
matter  how  careful  one  may  be  in  this  respect  some 
varnishes  will  harden  on  the  bottom  of  the  felt,  and, 
if  not  removed,  will  scratch  and  tear  the  surface.  The 
expert  rubber  instantly  can  detect  this  gathering  of 
varnish  on  the  felt  from  the  feeling  of  it  as  his  hand 
draws  it  over  the  surface.  This  caking  is  more  liable 
tc  take  place  where  the  varnish  is  not  quite  hard,  but 
will  take  place  with  some  varnishes  no  matter  how 
thoroughly  hardened  they  may  be. 

If  there  are  four  or  five  coats  of  varnish  on  the 
goods  to  be  rubbed,  it  is  well  to  have  two  grades  of 
pumice,  one  grade  somewhat  finer  than  the  other  to 
finish  off  with.  If  one  attempts  to  rub  down  four  or 
.five  coats  of  varnish  with  one  application  of  pumice, 
he  will  find  before  he  gets  through  that  there  is  too 
much  of  the  varnish  mixed  with  the  pumice  to  enable 
him  to  make  a  good  job,  and  that  the  caking  on  the 
felt  is  greatly  facilitated  thereby.  If  he  cleans  off  this 
mixture  of  ground  varnish  and  pumice,  and  starts  to 
finish  off  with  a  second  application  of  pumice  of  the 
same  grade,  he  will  find  the  work  so  badly  scratched 
that  great  difficulty  will  be  experienced  in  getting  it  in 
shape  for  polishing.  If  fresh  pumice  is  required  after 
the  rubbing  is  nearing  completion,  a  fine  grade  should 
be  used. 

The  felt  used  for  rubbing  with  pumice  is  a  coarser 
grade  than  that  used  for  fine  rubbing,  and  may  be 
obtained  from  one-quarter  inch  to  two  inches  thick, 
the  latter  thickness  being  preferable  for  heavy  rubbing. 
It  is  made  in  various  degrees  of  firmness,  a  medium 
hard  felt  being  the  best  for  this  work.  Some  rubbers, 
if  the  work  is  very  heavy,  will  start  to  cut  down  with 
burlap,  using  this  until  the  job  is  about  half  rubbed, 
then  using  the  block  and  finish  off  with  a  piece  of  thin 
felt.  Burlap  will  hold  the  pumice  better  and  cut  a  little 
quicker  than  the  felt,  but  the  work  done  is  not  so  fine 
and  the  felt  must  be  used  afterward. 


SURFACING  AND  VARNISHING 


263 


If  the  varnish  is  fairly  hard  at  the  time  this  first 
rubbing  is  done,  the  fine  rubbing  may  be  proceeded  with 
at  once.  If  it  is  not  too  hard,  it  should  be  allowed  to 
stand  from  12  hours  up,  according  to  its  condition,  to 
give  it  a  chance  to  “sweat”  out  and  take  on  a  hard  sur¬ 
face  on  which  to  do  the  fine  rubbing.  While  the  fine 
rubbing  in  this  case  is  done  in  the  same  way  as  on 
pianos,  yet  the  object  to  be  attained  is  somewhat  differ¬ 
ent.  When  rubbing  a  flow  coat  of  varnish  there  is  a 
certain  amount  of  grit  to  be  rubbed  off,  and  while  doing 
so,  one  must  keep  the  surface  in  condition  for  polishing. 
In  the  case  under  consideration,  where  one  is  fine-rub¬ 
bing  a  surface  that  has  been  coarse-rubbed,  the  object 
is  to  prepare  the  surface  for  polishing  by  removing  all 
the  scratches  made  by  the  pumice.  From  12  to  24  hours 
should  always  be  allowed  between  the  fine  rubbing  and 
the  polishing  to  insure  a  durable  polish.  A  longer  time 
than  this  may  be  necessary  unless  the  varnish  is  fairly 
dry. 

In  the  opinion  of  the  writer,  the  modern  method  of 
polishing  is  in  every  respect  equal  to  the  hand  polishing 
still  in  vogue  in  some  piano  factories.  Of  course,  in  the 
modern  method  a  great  deal  depends  on  the  composition 
of  the  liquid  used  in  the  process.  There  are  many 
formulas  for  making  polish,  but  the  following  is  one 
that  has  been  tested  for  several  years  on  high  grade 
work.  It  produces  a  very  high  and  durable  polish  with 
a  minimum  amount  of  labor. 

1  gallon  Paraffine  Oil. 

1  gallon  Pure  Turpentine. 

2D  ounces  Oil  of  Cedar. 

12  ounces  Oil  of  Citronella. 

The  longer  this  polish  has  been  made  before  using, 
the  better  it  will  do  its  work.  It  is  used  in  connection 
with  rotten  stone  in  the  ordinary  way  with  a  pad.  A 
very  soft  cotton  waste  makes  an  ideal  polishing  pad. 
This  polish  is  improved  by  the  addition  of  a  little  water, 
but  it  cannot  be  mixed  with  the  polish.  Take  a  small 
handful  of  the  cotton  waste  and  thoroughly  saturate 
with  water,  then  wring  as  dry  as  possible.  Rub  this 


WHEN  TO  DO 
FINE  RUBBING. 


FORMULA  FOR 
POLISH. 


264 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


POLISH  PLAIN 

SURFACES 

CROSSWISE. 


HOW  TO  MAKE 
SATIN  FINISH. 


damp  cotton  waste  over  the  surface  to  be  polished 
immediately  before  commencing  operations.  This  will 
supply  the  required  water. 

If  a  plain  surface  like  a  table  top  is  to  be  polished, 
one  should  start  at  the  ends,  polishing  these  crosswise. 
This  crosswise  polishing  is  necessary  in  order  to  be 
sure  of  a  high  polish  out  to  the  extreme  ends  and  it 
must  be  done  at  the  outset  otherwise  the  cross  polishing 
will  leave  a  mark.  This  polishing  is  not  done  with 
circular  motions  the  way  French  polishing  and  hand 
polishing  are  done.  The  motion  is  a  straight  stroke 
extending  from  one  end  to  the  other  of  the  surface 
polished. 

After  the  polish  has  been  brought  to  the  highest 
point  possible  by  this  process,  its  brilliancy  may  be 
deepened  by  rubbing  rapidly  with  the  bare  hand  using 
the  least  possible  quantity  of  polish — just  enough  to 
prevent  the  hand  sticking  to  the  varnish.  Rub  with  a 
^circular  motion  the  same  as  when  hand  polishing. 

Clean  the  polish  off  with  a  soft  cloth  moistened  with 
alcohol.  The  greatest  care  must  be  exercised  in  doing 
this.  Have  but  a  small  quantity  of  alcohol  on  the  cloth 
and  go  over  the  surface  very  lightly,  using  a  circular 
motion.  If  there  is  too  much  alcohol  on  the  cloth,  it  is 
certain  to  burn  into  the  varnish  and  destroy  the  polish. 
Sprinkle  a  small  quantity  of  the  alcohol  on  the  cloth 
and  twist  it  up  tightly.  This  will  allow  the  liquid  to 
spread  itself  throughout  the  whole  cloth  and  reduce  to 
a  minimum  the  possibility  of  burning  the  varnish. 

To  make  a  satin  finish  the  varnish  is  rubbed  down 
with  water  and  pumice  and  then  oiled.  A  finish  a  little 
more  dull  than  satin  finish  is  made  by  rubbing  the 
varnish  with  oil  and  pumice.  If  goods  are  heavily 
coated,  the  large  flat  surfaces  such  as  tops  and  fronts 
and  other  prominent  parts  of  the  work,  should  first  be 
water  rubbed  and  allowed  to  stand  for  a  few  hours 
before  being  oil  rubbed.  This  will  prevent  “pulling 
out.” 

To  make  a  dull  lustreless  finish  that  will  withstand 
the  extremes  of  any  climate,  hot  or  cold,  moist  or  dry, 
proceed  as  follows : 

After  the  work  has  been  stained,  apply  a  coat  of 


SURFACING  AND  VARNISHING 


265 


very  thin  shellac.  This  shellac  should  not  be  heavier 
than  24  ounces  gum  to  the  gallon  of  solvent.  When 
this  is  dry,  sand  smooth  with  very  fine  paper  and  put 
on  three  or  four  coats  of  pure  banana  oil.  Sand  the 
last  coat  well  with  fine  paper,  then  wax.  Banana  oil  is 
a  very  powerful  solvent  and  must  be  applied  very 
rapidly  and  with  no  more  brushing  than  is  required  to 
lay  it  on.  If  more  than  this  is  done,  it  will  raise  the 
under  coat. 

It  will  not  show  laps  or  streaks  when  dry,  so  that 
fear  of  trouble  from  this  source  need  not  lead  a  man 
into  brushing  more  than  is  required.  If  the  oil  be¬ 
comes  too  thick  for  use,  it  may  be  reduced  with  alcohol 
or  methylated  spirits. 

Banana  oil  dries  without  the  slightest  lustre.  So 
lustreless  is  it  that  after  several  coats  have  been  applied 
the  surface  still  retains  the  appearance  of  bare  wood. 
If  a  little  lustre  is  desired,  it  may  be  obtained  by  mak¬ 
ing  the  shellac  for  the  first  coat  heavier,  say  about 
two  and  one-half  pounds  of  gum  to  a  gallon  of  solvent. 

The  above  makes  a  good  finish  for  fumed  and 
cathedral  oak  and  other  similar  finishes.  It  is  also  suit¬ 
able  for  carvings  and  pebbled  work. 

The  dipping  process  in  finishing  is  one  that  has 
found  favor  with  several  lines  of  goods,  particularly 
turned  spindle  work  such  as  piano  stools,  etc.  On  work 
of  this  kind  much  better  results  can  be  obtained,  and 
with  less  labor,  by  the  dipping  process  than  by  the 
brush  method.  To  produce  the  highest  quality  of  finish 
on  stools  suitable  for  the  piano  trade  with  but  three 
applications  after  the  stain  is  on,  and  that  without  any 
sanding  of  the  turned  parts,  would  have  been  consid¬ 
ered  impossible  a  few  years  ago,  and  is  considered  so 
today  in  not  a  few  shops. 

But  it  is  among  the  every-day  things  of  at  least  one 
shop,  and  the  process  is  very  simple.  The  walnut  and 
mahogany  finish  are  dipped  in  their  respective  stains 
and  allowed  to  dry.  (The  wood  is  birch  and  the  stains 
are  water-stains.)  They  are  then  dipped  in  a  very  thin 
varnish  or  a  cheap  grade.  This  coat  penetrates  the 
pores  and  seals  up  the  fine  cells  of  the  wood  so  that  the 
liquid  of  the  next  coat  cannot  enter.  When  this  is  thor- 


TO  PRODUCE 
LUSTRELESS 
FINISH. 


FINISHING 
BY  DIPPING. 


266 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


PIGMENT 

SURFACER 

FORMULA. 


NEEDS  MUCH 
TIME  FOR 
HARDENING. 


oughly  dry,  a  coat  of  pigment  surfacer  is  applied.  This 
surfacer  is  made  as  follows: 

1  gallon  Varnish. 

1  gallon  Brown  Japan. 

8  pounds  Silex  (very  fine.) 

This  surfacer  is  brushed  on  and  is  the  only  brush 
coat  the  stools  receive.  It  is  put  on  full  weight  and  as 
much  of  it  put  on  as  can  be  done  safely  without  run¬ 
ning.  On  turned  stool  legs  there  is  much  end  wood  and 
the  surfacer  covers  the  whole  with  a  porcelain-like 
surface  which  holds  the  varnish  out  perfectly.  When 
this  surfacer  is  dry  the  flat  tops  are  sanded.  Then  the 
whole  stool  is  dipped  in  the  varnish.  It  is  allowed  to 
drain,  then  the  fat  edge  on  the  under  side  is  cut  off 
with  a  brush  and  the  stool  set  away  to  dry. 

The  firm  referred  to  manufactures  a  general  line  of 
sanitary  woodwork,  and  much  fine  work  is  turned  out 
polished  in  one  coat  of  varnish.  The  goods  are  dipped 
in  a  large  pan  of  filler.  On  large  flat  surfaces  such  as 
tanks,  if  the  wood  is  oak,  the  filler  is  brushed  a  little  to 
work  it  into  the  pores.  One  big  advantage  of  filling 
the  tanks  by  the  dipping  process  is  that  it  coats  the 
inside  with  a  water-proof  substance,  and  does  it  much 
more  perfectly  than  could  possibly  be  done  with  the 
brush.  Closet  seats  and  other  small  articles  are  dipped 
and  not  brushed.  Forty-eight  hours  are  allowed 
between  the  filling  and  the  surfacing.  The  surfacer 
used  is  made  from  the  formula  given  in  the  chapter  on 
Surfacing  and  Varnishing,  and  a  good  coat  is  put  on. 
If  the  goods  are  to  be  shipped  in  the  varnish  gloss,  the 
surfacer  is  allowed  to  dry  24  hours  before  sanding  and 
varnishing.  But  if  the  goods  are  to  be  polished,  48 
hours  are  allowed.  The  coat  to  be  rubbed  and  polished 
is  put  on  somewhat  heavier  than  that  for  varnish  gloss 
finish,  hence  the  necessity  for  allowing  the  surfacer  a 
longer  time  to  harden  that  the  varnish  may  have  every 
possible  chance.  The  surfacer  and  varnish  are  put  on 
the  tanks  and  seats  with  a  brush. 

In  this  factory  two  men  and  two  boys  will  stain 
several  thousand  closet  seats  in  a  short  time.  The  stain 


SURFACING  AND  VARNISHING 


267 


is  used  warm  and  takes  hold  of  the  wood  instantly.  It 
it  kept  warm  by  means  of  a  hot  water  vat. 

The  vat  is  30  inches  wide  by  60  inches  long  and  20 
inches  deep.  Inside  the  vat  is  a  frame  14  inches  high. 
A  steam  pipe  enters  at  one  end  and  extends  along  the 
bottom  to  the  other  end  of  the  vat.  The  end  of  the  pipe 
is  closed,  but  along  the  side  are  about  a  dozen  one- 
sixteenth  inch  holes  for  the  steam  to  escape.  There  is 
also  an  overflow  pipe,  two  inches  from  the  top. 

The  stain  pan,  which  is  six  inches  deep  and  made  to 
fit  the  inside  of  the  vat,  rests  on  the  frame.  The  vat  is 
filled  with  water  to  the  top  of  the  overflow  pipe  and  the 
steam  turned  on.  This  overflow  pipe  is  necessary  to 
carry  away  the  condensed  steam.  If  a  coil  with  a  return 
pipe  were  used  the  overflow  pipe  would  not  be  neces¬ 
sary,  but  it  would  require  more  steam.  When  the  water 
in  the  vats  heats,  the  stain  soon  becomes  warm,  and  as 
it  is  surrounded  on  the  bottom  and  all  four  sides  with 
water  which  comes  up  the  side  four  inches,  it  is  kept 
warm  as  long  as  it  is  in  use. 

A  wire  hook  is  used  for  dipping  the  seat  in  the  stain. 
The  seat  is  placed  on  the  hook  and  placed  in  one  end 
of  the  stain  pan,  then  drawn  rapidly  through  the  stain 
to  the  other  end,  then  lifted  out  and  set  in  another 
large  pan  to  drain.  They  are  then  taken  out  and  placed 
in  racks  made  for  the  purpose. 


HOW  MUCH 
STAINING  MAY 
BE  DONE 
RAPIDLY. 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 


VARNISHES  AND  THEIR  DRYING. 

IN  RECENT  years  it  was  found  that  the  finishing 
room  equipment  was  falling  behind.  It  was  the 
one  department  that  consumed  the  most  time  in 
obtaining  results.  Efforts  to  make  quick  drying  var¬ 
nishes,  surfacers,  etc.,  did  not  meet  with  the  demands. 
One  reason  why  wax  finishes  were  heralded  was 
because  they  could  be  turned  out  quickly.  Years  of 
experiments  were  made  in  an  endeavor  to  find  methods 
which  would  attain  the  desired  end. 

It  has  been  known  a  long  time  that  weather  and 
atmospheric  conditions  are  of  vital  importance  to  the 
drying  process  in  the  finishing  room.  Summer  as  well 
as  winter  months  carry  with  them  difficulties  which 
cause  delay  and  uncertainties  in  the  finishing  room. 
The  importance  of  this  is  appreciated  when  one  con¬ 
siders  the  results  that  will  follow  when  any  under  coat 
of  stain,  filler  or  varnish  is  not  thoroughly  dry  when 
the  following  coat  is  applied. 

On  a  damp,  humid  day,  the  grain  of  the  wood  raises 
very  perceptibly,  as  compared  with  a  clear,  dry  day, 
making  the  surface  to  be  coated  uneven,  and  destroying 
much  of  the  effect  of  fine  sanding,  thus  starting  the 
finish  under  a  disadvantage. 

Stains  and  fillers  will  not  dry  as  well  as  under  favor¬ 
able  conditions,  and  especially  when  oil  stains  are  used 
the  filler  is  likely  to  cut  into  the  stain,  producing  a 
mushy  condition  in  the  filler.  If  followed  by  the  first 
coat  of  varnish  on  regular  schedule,  the  varnish  will 
have  a  similar  tendency  to  cut  into  the  filler,  causing  in 
turn  a  mushy  coat  of  varnish,  which  will  not  dry  hard 
and  firm  as  under  favorable  conditions,  and  this  condi¬ 
tion  will  prevail  through  all  coats  to  the  finishing  coat 
of  varnish.  As  a  final  result,  none  of  the  coats  being 
as  hard  as  under  good  conditions,  the  finish  is  compara¬ 
tively  soft;  a  polishing  varnish  will  not  take  as  bright 
a  polish  and  will  rub  and  polish  harder ;  gloss,  rubbed 


DEMAND  FOR 
QUICK  DRYING. 


THE  CAUSE 
OF  MUSHY 
COATS. 


270 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


VARNISH  DRYING 
DEPENDS  ON 
SOLVENTS. 


BEST  DRYING 
CONDITION 

35  to  45  per 

CENT  HUMIDITY. 


or  polished  work  will  often  develop  sticking  or  printing 
troubles,  and  at  a  later  date  the  gradual  drying  of  these- 
mushy  undercoats  will  draw  in  the  finish  coats  produc¬ 
ing  loss  of  lustre  and  finish,  or  shrinkage.  During  such 
conditions  the  finishing  materials  are  usually  blamed 
for  the  disruption  of  finish  or  finishing  schedules,  when 
the  drying  condition  of  the  atmosphere  is  the  sole  cause. 

Considerable  quantities  of  fumes  are  thrown  off  by 
the  drying  of  finishing  materials,  and  we  all  know  that 
varnish  drying  depends  upon  the  evaporation  of  the 
solvents  in  the  varnish,  and  of  the  oxidation  of  the 
gums  and  oils.  Experiments  have  shown  that  humidity 
and  temperature  are  two  factors  which  should  be  con¬ 
trolled  in  the  drying  process. 

This  condition  is  based  on  the  scientific  fact  that  the 
capacity  of  warm  or  hot  air  to  carry  humidity  or  moist¬ 
ure  is  enormously  greater  than  that  of  cold  air.  For 
instance,  air  at  60  degrees  Fahrenheit  is  completely 
saturated  when  it  carries  4.8  grains  of  moisture  per 
cubic  foot;  whereas,  air  at  100  degrees  Fahrenheit 
requires  19.8  grains  of  moisture  per  cubic  foot  to  sat¬ 
urate  it.  Thus,  although  the  temperature  has  been 
increased  from  60  to  100  degrees,  or  66%  per  cent,  its 
capacity  for  moisture  has  been  increased  from  4.8 
grains  to  19.8  grains  per  cubic  foot,  or  412.5  per  cent. 

Humidity  is  expressed  relatively  in  terms  of  per 
cent  of  saturation,  which  is  100  per  cent.  Air  at  100 
degrees  with  40  per  cent  humidity  carries  7.9  grains  of 
moisture  per  cubic  foot,  which  is  40  per  cent  of  19.8 
grains,  the  saturation  or  dew  point. 

Practical  experience  indicates  that  the  best  drying 
condition  of  the  atmosphere  at  any  temperature  is  with 
humidity  of  35  to  45  per  cent,  although  satisfactory 
results  have  been  secured  at  both  higher  and  lower  per¬ 
centages.  With  a  low  humidity,  however,  there  is  a 
tendency  to  top-dry  or  case-harden,  especially  at  a  tem¬ 
perature  above  100  degrees.  With  a  high  percentage 
the  effect  is  to  retard  the  oxidation  or  drying  of  var¬ 
nish.  Humidity  is  determined  by  means  of  a  hygro- 
deik.  or  “wet  and  dry  bulb  thermometer.” 

The  atmosphere  normally  has  an  average  humidity 
of  60  to  70  per  cent.  When  the  percentage  increases, 


VARNISHES  AND  THEIR  DRYING 


271 


due  to  natural  causes,  it  often  reaches  saturation  or 
100  per  cent,  at  which  point  the  excess  is  precipitated 
in  the  form  of  rain. 

The  experiments  conducted  brought  forth  many  pat¬ 
ented  schemes  such  as  varnish  drying  kilns,  ovens,  and 
drying  rooms.  They  were  the  results  of  experiments 
by  varnish  makers,  and  were  based  upon  three  vital 
points  necessary  to  varnish  drying :  First,  the  constant 
circulation  of  fresh  air,  meaning  the  continual  presence 
of  the  drying  agent,  oxygen;  second,  heat,  and  third, 
humidity.  These  three  held  under  automatic  control  at 
the  will  of  the  operator  produced  the  best  results. 

It  is  generally  accepted  as  a  result  of  practical 
operation  that  the  temperature  at  no  time  should  exceed 
120  degrees,  it  being  understood  that  the  humidity 
should  be  at  a  desirable  point  and  under  control,  and 
in  the  presence  of  continual  circulation  of  fresh  air, 
without  a  direct  draft  on  the  work. 

It  has  been  proven  beyond  doubt  that  there  is  a  limit 
to  the  time  in  which  work  can  be  coated,  dried  in  a 
varnish  drying  system  and  recoated,  with  best  results. 
It  has  been  conclusively  shown  in  practical  shop  oper¬ 
ation,  too,  that  as  a  general  proposition,  the  varnish 
that  gives  the  best  results  under  old  air  drying  sched¬ 
ules  will  give  the  best  results  in  use  in  a  varnish  drying 
system. 

In  the  cool  months  of  the  year,  the  outside  air,  being 
at  a  low  temperature,  carries  a  very  small  amount  of 
moisture,  as  described  above.  In  this  condition,  it  is 
brought  into  the  factory  or  finishing  room  and  heated 
to  75  to  90  degrees,  the  result  being  that  its  capacity 
for  carrying  moisture,  having  thus  been  increased  by 
raising  its  temperature,  the  percentage  of  humidity  is 
lowered  to  anywhere  from  25  per  cent  to  40  per  cent, 
depending  upon  the  temperature  and  humidity  condi¬ 
tion  of  the  outside  air.  This  is  a  very  desirable  con¬ 
dition  for  drying  varnish  and  other  finishing  materials. 

During  the  warm  months,  the  condition  is  just  the 
reverse.  The  outside  air  being  hot,  carries  a  relatively 
large  amount  of  moisture  per  cubic  foot,  as  described 
above.  It  is  brought  into  the  finishing  room  at  the 
same  temperature  and  in  the  same  condition,  and  as  the 


THREE  POINTS 
NECESSARY  TO 
VARNISH 
DRYING. 


DESIRABLE 

CONDITION. 


272 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


FINISHING 

ROOM 

SHOULD  BE 
CONDITIONED. 


SUCCESSFUL 
METHOD  FOR 
DRYING 
PURPOSES. 


temperature  generally  falls  at  night,  its  percentage  of 
humidity  is  thus  further  increased,  producing  an  ex¬ 
tremely  bad  drying  condition. 

There  is  nothing  that  will  give  the  desired  results 
better  than  conditioning  the  entire  finishing  room,  thus 
making  the  entire  room  practically  a  varnish  drying 
room.  By  this  we  mean  making  provision  in  radiation 
for  raising  the  temperature  to  100  or  110  degrees  every 
night  during  the  year  and  providing  adequate  means 
for  a  constant  circulation  of  fresh  air,  which  can  be 
done  by  the  proper  ventilators,  or  a  fan,  or  both.  Such 
an  arrangement  is  both  practical  and  economical  in 
the  majority  of  shops,  and  in  any  event  the  manufac¬ 
turer  should  provide  for  and  have  heat  in  his  finishing 
room  every  night  the  year  round,  for  reasons  which 
have  been  explained. 

This  can  be  accomplished  by  placing  the  heating 
coils  or  hot  air  pipes  along  the  outside  walls  underneath 
the  windows,  and  having  ventilators  take  air  from  the 
center  of  the  room  and  extend  down  to  within  a  few 
inches  of  the  floor.  Hot  blast  pipes  or  heating  coils 
should  not  be  near  the  top  or  center  of  the  room,  as 
such  a  location  of  the  heating  pipes  or  coils  will  prevent 
good  circulation  and  increase  the  expense  of  heating. 
The  heat  should  be  turned  off  at  three  or  four  o’clock  in 
the  morning  to  allow  the  room  to  cool  off  and  the  filler 
or  varnish  to  harden  before  the  workmen  commence 
work  for  the  day.  Suppose  the  outside  atmosphere  was 
80  degrees  with  a  humidity  of  85  per  cent,  which  would 
be  a  very  hot,  muggy  day  and  an  extremely  bad  drying 
atmosphere.  By  raising  the  temperature  of  the  finish¬ 
ing  room  to  100  degrees  at  night,  the  percentage  of 
humidity  would  be  reduced  thereby  to  46  per  cent, 
which  is  considered  an  excellent  drying  condition. 

A  successful  method  for  drying  purposes,  which  is 
installed  in  many  factories,  is  the  setting  aside  of  cer¬ 
tain  rooms  in  which  the  temperature  is  continually 
maintained  by  means  of  steam  coils  over  which  is 
drawn  fresh  air.  The  room  is  provided  with  exhaust 
fans  expelling  the  loaded  air  and  causing  a  continual 
change  of  atmosphere,  producing  an  ideal  drying  con¬ 
dition  which  will  result  in  many  hours  saved  in  time. 


CHAPTER  L. 


JUST  HOW  VARNISH  IS  MADE. 


VARNISH  is  composed  of  three  essential  ingredi¬ 
ents — gum  to  give  hardness  and  lustre — oil  to 
impart  elasticity,  and  a  solvent  or  thinner  to 
keep  it  in  a  liquid  state.  After  the  varnish  is  applied, 
the  solvent  evaporates  and  the  coating  of  gum  and  oil 
remains  behind — thus  these  two  materials  have  the 
most  important  bearing  on  varnish  quality.  There  is 
also  another  ingredient  present  in  almost  all  varnishes 
— “drier,”  usually  composed  of  lead  and  manganese.  It 
is  almost  invariably  added  to  the  oil  before  the  varnish 
is  made  and  varies  according  to  the  kind  necessary  to 
produce  required  results. 

Fossil  gums  are  used  for  the  best  varnishes  and  are 
the  hardened  sap  of  trees  that  lived  thousands  of  years 
ago.  The  sap  ran  upon  the  ground,  hardened,  became 
covered  with  decayed  vegetation  and  fossilized.  Today 
it  is  found  several  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  earth. 
The  gum  known  as  kauri  is  the  chief  and  most  widely 
used.  There  are  so  many  grades  of  each  kind  of  varnish 
gum  that  it  means  absolutely  nothing  to  one  when  a 
manufacturer  claims  that  he  uses  a  certain  kind  of 
gum.  For  instance,  kauri  gum  varies  from  14  to  80 
cents  a  pound.  So  you  see  that  it  is  not  what  the  manu¬ 
facturer  says  is  in  the  varnish  that  counts,  but  the 
quality  of  the  materials  and,  most  of  all,  what  the 
varnish  will  do. 

The  oils  used  for  varnish  making  are  chiefly  linseed 
oil  and  china  wood  oil,  especially  prepared  and  well 
aged.  The  solvent  is  chiefly  turpentine. 

In  the  manufacture  of  varnish,  the  varnish  maker 
first  melts  the  gum  over  a  coke  fire  in  a  copper  kettle. 
When  the  gum  is  properly  melted,  the  oil  which  is  hot, 
having  been  separately  heated,  is  added.  The  critical 
point  in  the  entire  process  of  varnish  making  is  to  tell 
the  exact  moment  to  add  the  oil  to  the  melted  gum,  and 
experience  alone  can  tell.  If  the  gum  is  melted  too 


INGREDIENTS 
OF  VARNISH. 


TWO  OILS  ARE 
UTILIZED. 


272 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


FINISHING 

ROOM 

SHOULD  BE 
CONDITIONED. 


SUCCESSFUL 
METHOD  FOR 
DRYING 
PURPOSES. 


temperature  generally  falls  at  night,  its  percentage  of 
humidity  is  thus  further  increased,  producing  an  ex¬ 
tremely  bad  drying  condition. 

There  is  nothing  that  will  give  the  desired  results 
better  than  conditioning  the  entire  finishing  room,  thus 
making  the  entire  room  practically  a  varnish  drying 
room.  By  this  we  mean  making  provision  in  radiation 
for  raising  the  temperature  to  100  or  110  degrees  every 
night  during  the  year  and  providing  adequate  means 
for  a  constant  circulation  of  fresh  air,  which  can  be 
done  by  the  proper  ventilators,  or  a  fan,  or  both.  Such 
an  arrangement  is  both  practical  and  economical  in 
the  majority  of  shops,  and  in  any  event  the  manufac¬ 
turer  should  provide  for  and  have  heat  in  his  finishing 
room  every  night  the  year  round,  for  reasons  which 
have  been  explained. 

This  can  be  accomplished  by  placing  the  heating 
coils  or  hot  air  pipes  along  the  outside  walls  underneath 
the  windows,  and  having  ventilators  take  air  from  the 
center  of  the  room  and  extend  down  to  within  a  few 
inches  of  the  floor.  Hot  blast  pipes  or  heating  coils 
should  not  be  near  the  top  or  center  of  the  room,  as 
such  a  location  of  the  heating  pipes  or  coils  will  prevent 
good  circulation  and  increase  the  expense  of  heating. 
The  heat  should  be  turned  off  at  three  or  four  o’clock  in 
the  morning  to  allow  the  room  to  cool  off  and  the  filler 
or  varnish  to  harden  before  the  workmen  commence 
work  for  the  day.  Suppose  the  outside  atmosphere  was 
80  degrees  with  a  humidity  of  85  per  cent,  which  would 
be  a  very  hot,  muggy  day  and  an  extremely  bad  drying 
atmosphere.  By  raising  the  temperature  of  the  finish¬ 
ing  room  to  100  degrees  at  night,  the  percentage  of 
humidity  would  be  reduced  thereby  to  46  per  cent, 
which  is  considered  an  excellent  drying  condition. 

A  successful  method  for  drying  purposes,  which  is 
installed  in  many  factories,  is  the  setting  aside  of  cer¬ 
tain  rooms  in  which  the  temperature  is  continually 
maintained  by  means  of  steam  coils  over  which  is 
drawn  fresh  air.  The  room  is  provided  with  exhaust 
fans  expelling  the  loaded  air  and  causing  a  continual 
change  of  atmosphere,  producing  an  ideal  drying  con¬ 
dition  which  will  result  in  many  hours  saved  in  time. 


CHAPTER  L. 


JUST  HOW  VARNISH  IS  MADE. 


VARNISH  is  composed  of  three  essential  ingredi¬ 
ents— gum  to  give  hardness  and  lustre— oil  to 
impart  elasticity,  and  a  solvent  or  thinner  to 
keep  it  in  a  liquid  state.  After  the  varnish  is  applied, 
the  solvent  evaporates  and  the  coating  of  gum  and  oil 
remains  behind — thus  these  two  materials  have  the 
most  important  bearing  on  varnish  quality.  There  is 
also  another  ingredient  present  in  almost  all  varnishes 
— “drier,”  usually  composed  of  lead  and  manganese.  It 
is  almost  invariably  added  to  the  oil  before  the  varnish 
is  made  and  varies  according  to  the  kind  necessary  to 
produce  required  results. 

Fossil  gums  are  used  for  the  best  varnishes  and  are 
the  hardened  sap  of  trees  that  lived  thousands  of  years 
ago.  The  sap  ran  upon  the  ground,  hardened,  became 
covered  with  decayed  vegetation  and  fossilized.  Today 
it  is  found  several  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  earth. 
The  gum  known  as  kauri  is  the  chief  and  most  widely 
used.  There  are  so  many  grades  of  each  kind  of  varnish 
gum  that  it  means  absolutely  nothing  to  one  when  a 
manufacturer  claims  that  he  uses  a  certain  kind  of 
gum.  For  instance,  kauri  gum  varies  from  14  to  80 
cents  a  pound.  So  you  see  that  it  is  not  what  the  manu¬ 
facturer  says  is  in  the  varnish  that  counts,  but  the 
quality  of  the  materials  and,  most  of  all,  what  the 
varnish  will  do. 

The  oils  used  for  varnish  making  are  chiefly  linseed 
oil  and  china  wood  oil,  especially  prepared  and  well 
aged.  The  solvent  is  chiefly  turpentine. 

In  the  manufacture  of  varnish,  the  varnish  maker 
first  melts  the  gum  over  a  coke  fire  in  a  copper  kettle. 
When  the  gum  is  properly  melted,  the  oil  which  is  hot, 
having  been  separately  heated,  is  added.  The  critical 
point  in  the  entire  process  of  varnish  making  is  to  tell 
the  exact  moment  to  add  the  oil  to  the  melted  gum,  and 
experience  alone  can  tell.  If  the  gum  is  melted  too 


IXGREDIEXTS 
OF  VARNISH. 


TWO  OILS  ARE 
UTILIZED. 


274 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


PROCESS  OF 
MANUFACTURE. 


EVIDENCES  OF 
POOR  VARNISH. 


long,  it  becomes  dark  in  color;  if  underheated,  it  will 
be  paler,  but  will  lack  durability. 

After  adding  the  oil,  the  gum  and  oil  are  heated 
together  until  the  two  are  thoroughly  combined,  when 
the  kettle  is  withdrawn  from  the  fire.  The  kettle  is 
next  taken  into  the  thinning  room  where  the  mixture 
is  allowed  to  cool  to  a  certain  temperature,  and  the  thin¬ 
ner  or  solvent  added. 

After  thinning,  the  varnish  is  pumped  through  a 
pipe  to  a  vat  or  cooler  where,  besides  cooling,  it  settles 
and  becomes  clearer.  From  the  cooler  the  varnish  is 
passed  through  a  filter  press  which  removes  all  the  dirt 
and  foreign  matter.  The  varnish  is  next  pumped  to 
the  aging  tanks  where  it  is  allowed  to  thoroughly  ripen. 
This  aging  makes  the  varnish  bright  and  clear. 

The  tough  oil  varnishes  are  in  greater  demand  than 
the  spirit  varnishes,  although  the  defects  in  oil  var¬ 
nishes  are  numberless.  How  often  a  person  sits  on  a 
varnished  chair  and  on  rising  finds  the  loose  nap  from 
his  clothes  sticking  inseparably  to  the  chair  and  the 
print  of  the  weave  of  his  clothes  left  in  the  soft,  tacky 
varnish.  Cases  have  come  within  the  writer’s  obser¬ 
vation  where  the  fine  fabrics  in  ladies’  dresses  have 
been  torn  on  being  drawn  from  the  sticky  or  “tacky” 
varnish.  Cheap  contract  varnish,  such  as  is  often, 
found  on  church  pews  and  public  benches  generally 
is  likely  to  show  this  undesirable  quality.  These  var¬ 
nishes  have  incorporated  in  them  non-volatile,  non¬ 
drying  oils  such  as  the  heavier  mineral  oils.  These  oils 
do  not  oxidize  and  dry  to  a  solid  elastic  mass,  as  drying- 
oils  do,  and  as  a  consequence,  the  varnishes  remain 
“tacky”  for  an  indefinite  time  and  practically  never 
dry.  There  is  no  remedy  for  this  defect  but  to  cut  off 
the  poor  varnish  with  some  solvent  such  as  one  quart 
acetone,  one  quart  alcohol,  one-half  pint  of  water 
saturated  with  washing  soda  and  one  quart  of  benzine, 
in  which  a  few  ounces  of  paraffin  or  other  wax  have 
been  melted.  The  mixture  should  be  well  shaken  and 
then  brushed  over  the  surface  until  the  varnish  is  quite 
wet.  To  prevent  evaporation,  cover  over  the  article 
with  old  sacks  and  let  it  stand  for  20  minutes,  giving 
time  for  the  solution  to  soften  up  the  varnish.  On 


JUST  HOW  VARNISH  IS  MADE 


275 


removing  the  sacks,  the  varnish  will  be  found  very 
soft  and  easy  to  wipe  off  with  a  rag  or  to  scrape  off 
with  a  straight  piece  of  glass  or  steel.  When  the 
article  is  cleaned  and  wiped  thoroughly  dry,  revarnish 
with  a  good  linseed  oil  varnish.  The  recipe  just  given 
will  remove  any  varnish  whatsoever  whether  old  and 
hard  or  soft  and  sticky. 

Sweating  of  varnishes  on  damp,  warm  days  is  due, 
in  many  cases,  to  the  presence  of  fish  oils.  These  oils 
absorb  moisture  which  causes  the  varnishes  to  become 
clammy  and  sticky  to  the  touch,  if  the  temperature  is 
above  80  degrees  Fahrenheit.  The  presence  of  oils 
having  the  power  of  absorbing  water  accounts  for  the 
excessive  dews  which  collect  on  freshly  varnished  boats 
and  canoes  beached  on  an  open  shore  of  a  summer’s 
night. 

Good  varnished  furniture  is  the  bane  of  every  one 
who  possesses  it.  It  is  “so  easily”  scratched,  and 
scratches  cannot  be  mended.  Scratching  will  never  be 
eliminated  from  furniture  until  a  harder  and  tougher 
varnish  is  discovered.  Scratches  which  appear  white 
cannot  be  obliterated  easily.  They  may  be  obscured, 
however,  by  rubbing  well  with  a  piece  of  cheese  cloth 
moistened  with  a  solution  of  nine  parts  linseed  oil  and 
one  part  lemon  oil.  Any  failure  to  have  this  solution 
work  correctly  will  arise  from  the  fact  that  too  much 
oil  has  been  applied  to  the  surface  and  the  rubbing 
has  not  been  sufficient. 

Whitening  of  varnish  in  the  presence  of  water,  for 
example,  on  the  bottom  of  a  canoe,  is  due  to  the  absorp¬ 
tion  of  water  by  the  varnish,  especially  those  low  in 
good  resins,  and  may  be  corrected  by  allowing  the  var¬ 
nish  to  dry  thoroughly  in  the  open  air  (sunlight) .  This 
treatment  causes  the  water  to  evaporate  and  restores 
the  original  appearance  of  the  varnish.  A  spar  varnish 
(that  is,  one  high  in  resins)  should  then  be  applied  to 
the  thoroughly  dry  surface.  If  the  surface  is  not  al¬ 
lowed  to  dry  thoroughly  before  the  new  coat  of  varnish 
is  applied  “blooming”  will  be  the  result,  that  is  to  say, 
the  varnish  will  have  a  dull,  smoky  appearance  like  the 
bloom  on  a  ripe  blueberry. 

Every  one  has  observed  minute  hairlines  on  highly 


REMOVING 

VARNISH. 


WHITENING 
OF  VARNISH. 


276 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


HAIRLINES  ON 
PIANO  FINISH. 


polished  varnish  surfaces,  such  as  piano  cases.  This 
hairlining  is  the  first  stage  in  the  cracking  of  the  var¬ 
nish,  and  as  the  cracks  widen  the  surface  takes  on  a 
resemblance  to  alligator  leather.  This  hairlining  or 
cracking  of  varnish  is  caused  primarily  by  too  little 
oil  being  used  in  the  varnish,  or  as  varnish  makers 
term  it,  “a  short  oil  varnish”  has  been  used.  The  lack 
of  oil  allows  the  varnish  to  dry  in  a  short  time,  per¬ 
haps  not  longer  than  eight  hours,  but  the  coating  is 
brittle  and  soon  hairlines  and  these  lines  in  time  widen 
into  unsightly  cracks.  Excess  of  cheap  resins,  such  as 
rosin  often  causes  these  defects  to  appear  in  varnished 
surfaces. 


CHAPTER  LI. 


WHAT  CONSTITUTES  A  GOOD  VARNISH. 


A  GOOD  varnish  has  good  body,  sufficient  to  give 
good  lustre,  yet  not  so  heavy  as  to  work  badly 
and  dry  unevenly.  It  works  smoothly  under  the 
brush  and  spreads  in  a  thin,  even  coat,  free  from 
streakiness,  still  has  sufficient  consistency.  It  is  elas¬ 
tic  when  dry  and  will  not  crack.  It  is  durable  and  for 
outside  work  particularly  indifferent  to  the  effects  of 
moisture  and  atmospheric  conditions.  It  adheres 
tenaciously  to  the  material  to  which  it  is  applied.  It 
is  of  good  color  that  will  not  darken  on  exposure.  A 
good  varnish  is  good  only  for  its  particular  purpose,  as 
a  varnish  “long  in  oil”  is  intended  for  exterior  work, 
floors,  etc.,  while  a  varnish  “short  in  oil”  is  intended 
for  inside  trim  work.  The  safest  method  is  to  use  the 
varnish  which  a  reliable  manufacturer  recommends 
for  a  given  purpose,  for  that  purpose. 

How  may  varnish  be  tested?  Varnish  may  be 
tested  for  paleness  by  placing  a  small  quantity  of  it  ii 
a  thin  glass  vial,  and  comparing  it  with  any  standard 
sample,  by  holding  both  samples  to  the  light. 

Varnish  may  be  tested  for  wear  by  applying  two 
coats  to  two  pieces  of  well  dried,  carefully  sandpapered, 
newly  planed  wood.  One  piece  of  wood  should  be 
coated  with  the  standard  sample — the  other  piece  with 
the  varnish  to  be  tested.  Place  both  pieces  of  wood 
in  an  exposed  exterior  situation  and  note  from  time 
to  time  the  appearance  of  the  work.  The  piece  which 
loses  its  brilliancy  and  cracks  in  the  shortest  time  has 
been  coated  with  the  inferior  varnish.  Of  course  by 
this  test,  you  must  compare  two  varnishes  intended  for 
the  same  purpose,  such  as  two  interior  varnishes,  etc., 
and  not  two  entirely  different  varnishes  as  an  exterior 
varnish  and  an  interior  varnish. 

Another  simple  test  is  to  revarnish  any  suitable  sur¬ 
face  with  the  suspected  sample,  and  when  the  varnish 
is  thoroughly  dry,  rub  it  quickly  with  the  finger.  If 


HOW  GOOD 

VARNISH 

WORKS. 


VARNISH 

TESTS. 


278 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


HARDNESS 
OF  VARNISH. 


TEST  IN  ROOM 
OF  60°  F. 


the  new  varnish  crumbles  up  quickly,  it  evidently  con¬ 
tains  an  inferior  gum  or  most  probably  a  large  pro¬ 
portion  of  rosin.  A  good  copal  varnish  cannot  be  re¬ 
moved  in  this  way.  A  method  of  testing  varnish  for 
elasticity  is  to  apply  two  coats  of  it  to  a  sheet  of  linen 
and  after  it  has  properly  dried,  try  its  flexibility  or 
tendency  to  chip  off  by  crumbling  between  the  hands. 

This  question  of  hardness  of  varnish  is  so  impor¬ 
tant  that  Dr.  A.  P.  Laurie  some  time  since  patented  an 
instrument,  the  principle  of  which  was  simply  that  of 
scratching  a  dried  and  varnished  surface  by  means  of 
a  steel  point. 

The  apparatus  enables  accurate  readings  to  be 
taken,  and  it  has  been  found  that  a  fine  carriage  var¬ 
nish  will  withstand  a  pressure  equal  to  1,200  grains, 
fairly  good  common  varnishes  700,  rosin  varnishes  200 
to  400,  and  spirit  varnishes  only  a  pressure  of  100 
grains. 

Thus  we  see  why  it  is  that  the  latter  are  bruised 
with  even  a  light  blow,  while  the  best  carriage  var¬ 
nishes  will  withstand  a  considerable  force. 

The  odor  of  varnish  gives  some  information  as  to 
its  quality,  while  the  time  taken  to  harden  the  degree 
of  flowing  and  working  under  the  brush  yields  use¬ 
ful  information. 

It  may  be  added  that  it  is  the  opinion  of  Dr.  A.  P. 
Laurie,  based  upon  the  experiments  he  has  conducted 
with  his  instrument,  that  the  best  oil  varnishes  do  not 
attain  their  maximum  hardness  until  12  months  after 
they  have  been  applied. 

The  question  of  brilliancy  of  gloss  I  have  not  en¬ 
tered  into,  as  this  will  be  sufficiently  obvious  in  com¬ 
paring  several  grades  of  varnish.  It  will  be  best  to 
conduct  these  experiments  in  a  well  ventilated  room 
heated  to  a  temperature  of  about  60  degrees. 

A  very  hot  room  containing  moisture-charged  air 
is  not  suitable,  as  the  conditions  are  adverse  to  the 
varnish  properly  drying,  and  may  yield  erroneous  con¬ 
clusions.  There  are  many  more  tests  which  could  be 
made,  but  they  mostly  involve  the  use  of  heat,  or  some 
appliances  which  are  not  at  hand. 

In  writing  this  chapter  I  have  kept  steadily  in  mind 


WHAT  CONSTITUTES  A  GOOD  VARNISH  279 


the  fact  that  the  user  is  not  so  much  interested  in  the 
chemical  constituents  of  the  material  that  he  uses  as 
he  is  in  discovering  whether  they  are  genuine,  and  par¬ 
ticularly  whether  they  will  do  the  work  for  which  they 
are  intended. 

Never  use  spirit  varnish,  or  enamel  in  which  spirit 
varnish  is  used,  for  high  class  work  requiring  dura¬ 
bility.  While  such  goods  dry  quickly,  they  work  very 
hard  under  the  brush,  requiring  more  labor  to  apply 
than  does  a  high  grade  varnish,  or  an  enamel  made 
with  a  good  oil  varnish.  Brush  marks  and  laps  show 
plainly.  Furthermore,  such  materials  have  but  little 
durability,  being  made  from  soft  gums.  After  the 
solvent  evaporates,  the  only  coating  left  on  the  surface 
is  the  weak,  brittle  coating  of  gum  with  nothing  to  bind 
it  to  the  wood.  As  a  result,  it  soon  chips  off.  The  chief 
use  of  spirit  varnishes  is  in  cheap  cabinet  work  where 
the  main  object  is  to  get  the  work  out  quickly  and  pro¬ 
cure  a  finish  that  will  last  long  enough  to  sell  the  goods. 

Oil  varnishes  made  from  good  hard  gums,  pure  lin¬ 
seed  oil  and  turpentine,  are  the  most  durable.  After 
the  thinner  evaporates,  it  leaves  a  hard,  tough  coating 
of  gum  and  oil  behind,  that  adheres  to  the  wood;  this 
is  due  to  the  hardness  of  the  gum  and  the  elasticity  of 
the  oil,  which  also  binds  the  coating  to  the  wood. 

An  English  work  on  varnishes  gives  the  following 
points  on  brilliancy  and  lustre :  “Brilliancy  and  lustre 
depend  on  the  nature  of  the  resin.  The  greater  the 
ratio  of  resin  to  oil,  the  greater  is  the  brilliancy  and 
lustre  of  the  varnish.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  brilliancy 
of  a  varnish  is  a  property  dependent  on  its  index  of 
refraction.  As  the  index  of  refraction  of  a  resin  is 
greater  than  that  of  linseed  oil,  the  more  resin  there  is 
in  a  varnish  the  more  lustrous  it  is.  Hence  the  reason 
why  spirit  varnishes,  after  drying,  are  more  lustrous 
than  oil  varnishes.  Each  unit  per  cent  of  oil  in  the 
dried  coating  of  an  oil  varnish  diminishes  its  lustre 
pro  rata.  On  the  other  hand,  even  if  it  increases  the 
lustre  proportionately,  each  unit  per  cent  of  resin  in 
varnish,  after  a  certain  amount,  diminishes  its  dura¬ 
bility  pro  rata.  A  compromise,  therefore,  has  to  be 
made  according  to  the  object  in  view  in  designing  a 


AVOID  SPIRIT 
VARNISH  IN 
HIGH  CLASS 
WORK. 


BRILLIANCY 
AND  LUSTRE, 


280 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


DURABILITY 
SACRIFICED 
TO  FINISH. 


varnish  for  any  given  purpose.  Where  brilliancy  is  a 
desideratum  the  resin  must  not  be  less  than  one-third 
to  one-fourth  by  weight  of  the  dried  coat.  But  where 
brilliancy  leaves  off,  durability  is  only  beginning,  and 
varnishes,  in  which  the  resin  only  forms  one-fourth  of 
the  dried  coat,  are  used  where  great  elasticity  is  de¬ 
manded.  In  the  case  of  a  piano  varnish,  for  instance, 
durability,  to  a  certain  extent,  is  sacrificed  to  lustre, 
and  the  percentage  of  resin  to  oil  preponderates  in 
such  a  varnish.  The  harder  the  resin,  the  greater  the 
brilliancy.  A  manila  varnish  made  with  the  same  num¬ 
ber  of  gallons  of  linseed  per  100  pounds  of  manila  is 
less  lustrous  than  one  made  in  the  same  ratio  of  oil  to 
resin  from  Zanzibar  copal.  It  is  asserted  that  the  index 
of  refraction  of  a  varnish  is  greater  than  that  calcu¬ 
lated  from  its  composition,  but  this  may  be  due  to  a 
turpentine  residuum  left  out  of  the  calculation.  Be  this 
as  it  may,  the  skill  and  care  with  which  a  varnish  is 
made  are  factors  which  cannot  be  lost  sight  of  in  any 
investigation  into  the  cause  of  the  brilliancy  of  varnish. 

Durability  and  resistance  will  vary  with  the  pro¬ 
portion  of  linseed  oil  and  the  elasticity  of  its  oxidation 
product.  Varnishes  should  embody  the  brilliancy  of 
the  resins  and  the  elasticity  of  the  drying  oils. 


CHAPTER  LII. 


PROTECTION  IN  BUYING  VARNISHES. 

THE  day  of  the  varnish  salesman  and  the  foreman 
finisher  getting  together  over  the  purchases  of 
varnish  has  passed.  The  salesman  now  enters 
the  business  office  to  show  his  wares.  If  there  is  an  VARNISH 
inclination  to  buy  of  his  house  he  is  requested  to  send  SELLIMi 
a  gallon,  and  it  is  tested  out.  The  foreman  and  the  chIxced 
purchasing  agent  will  make  a  physical  test  of  the 
sample  received.  An  eight  ounce  bottle  of  the  sample 
is  hermetically  sealed  and  laid  away.  The  balance  is 
used  in  a  practical  way  on  pieces  of  furniture  which 
are  marked  and  dated,  and  put  through  subsequent 
operations  in  the  regular  manner,  the  result  of  the 
finish  being  noted  in  each  stage. 

One  manufacturer  proceeds  as  follows:  He  keeps 
a  supply  of  boards  in  his  finishing  room  of  the  wood 
used  most  in  his  plant.  The  boards  are  six  inches  wide 
and  24  inches  long.  They  are  put  through  the  various 
finishing  processes  until  they  reach  the  point  where 
varnish  is  required,  whether  it  be  the  first  coat  or  the 
polishing  varnish.  Usually  three  sample  boards  are 
used,  one-half  of  which  is  covered  with  the  old  varnish 
in  use,  and  the  other  half  with  the  sample  varnish.  The 
pieces  are  left  to  dry  for  10  days,  and  are  then  taken 
to  the  roof  where  a  large  rack  has  been  erected  to  hold 
them.  They  are  given  a  southern  exposure  at  an  angle  1  E/'TINf  BEF0RE 
of  30  degrees.  The  pieces  are  looked  over  regularly, 
morning  and  night,  and  records  are  kept  of  changes 
and  conditions.  The  boards  are  thus  exposed  to  all 
kinds  of  weather  until  the  varnish  shows  checking  or 
crazing,  when  it  will  be  noted  whether  the  checking  or 
crazing  comes  to  both  varnishes  at  the  same  time,  or 
to  which  it  came  first. 

-  The  manufacturer  of  furniture  is  not  looking  for 
a  varnish  that  will  stand  up  indefinitely  under  all  forms 
of  weather,  but  he  does  learn  that  a  certain  varnish 
will  stand  exposure  to  snow  and  rain  in  winter  months 


282 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


GRAVITY, 
VISCOSITY, 
FLASH  TESTS. 


DETERMINING 

VISCOSITY. 


with  no  indications  of  checking  or  crazing  for  over  850 
hours,  and  when  rubbed  and  polished  in  the  finishing 
room  will  reveal  a  finished  surface  equal  to  anything 
in  the  factory.  He  seeks  a  record  by  which  all  the 
varnish  from  a  certain  concern  may  be  judged.  This 
can  be  done  by  three  tests:  Specific  gravity,  viscosity 
and  the  flash  tests. 

Specific  gravity  of  varnish  is  its  weight  compared 
with  an  equal  quantity  of  water,  which  is  100.  A  bottle 
which  will  hold  100  grams  of  water  is  filled  with  var¬ 
nish  at  70  degrees  F.  The  bottle  is  marked  with  its 
own  weight.  The  bottle  of  varnish  is  weighed  on  scales 
graduated  down  to  one  seven-thousandths  of  a  pound, 
and  if  the  varnish  is  all  right  the  register  will  show 
the  specific  gravity  is  from  80  to  90  compared  with  an 
equal  amount  of  distilled  water.  If  the  varnish  manu¬ 
facturer  has  introduced  substitute  oils  or  gums  there 
will  be  a  change  in  the  specific  gravity  for  the  reason 
that  no  two  different  oils  or  gums  have  a  like  specific 
gravity. 

Viscosity  of  liquids  is  determined  by  the  length  of 
time  it  takes  a  certain  quantity  of  it  to  run  through  a 
certain  sized  hole  compared  with  the  time  it  takes  the 
same  quantity  of  distilled  water  to  run  through  the 
same  hole.  Knowing  the  time  required  for  50  cubic 
centimeters  to  pass  through  a  certain  hole  in  a  vis¬ 
cosimeter  (various  styles  of  which  are  on  the  market), 
and  knowing  the  length  of  time  required  for  a  like 
amount  of  varnish  to  pass  through  the  same  hole,  both 
liquids  being  at  the  same  temperature,  the  viscosity 
of  the  varnish  is  easy  to  determine. 

For  example :  We  have  a  viscosimeter  with  a  water 
figure  of  10.2,  which  is  the  time  required  for  50  cubic 
centimeters  of  distilled  water  to  pass  through  the  hole 
at  the  bottom  of  the  cup.  The  same  amount  of  varnish 
at  90  degrees  requires  153  seconds  to  pass  through  the 
same  hole.'  We  therefore  divide  153  by  10.2,  which 
leaves  an  answer  of  15,  or  which  means  that  the  var¬ 
nish  is  15  times  thicker  than  water,  and  therefore 
has  a  viscosity  of  15.  As  with  the  specific  gravity,  the 
viscosity  will  vary  with  any  change  made  in  the  manu¬ 
facture,  or  in  materials  used  in  the  making  of  varnish. 


PROTECTION  IN  BUYING  VARNISHES 


283 


The  flash  test  is  used  to  determine  the  drying 
quality  of  a  varnish.  A  small  iron  pot  is  used,  one  and 
one-half  inches  in  diameter  and  two  inches  deep.  This 
is  surrounded  by  a  water  jacket  and  set  on  legs  eight 
inches  high.  The  cup  is  filled  with  varnish  of  70  de¬ 
grees  temperature,  and  the  temperature  is  gradually 
raised  by  an  alcohol  lamp.  From  time  to  time  as  the 
temperature  is  being  raised  a  lighted  wax  taper  is 
brushed  across  the  surface  one-half  inch  above  the  var¬ 
nish.  A  thermometer  in  the  varnish  will  indicate  when 
the  varnish  has  reached  the  point  where  it  will  flash, 
that  is,  when  the  fumes  will  catch  fire  as  the  lighted 
taper  is  passed  over  the  top.  Then  the  temperature 
should  be  noted,  which  should  be  in  the  neighborhood 
of  98  degrees.  This  is  the  flash  point,  and  any  higher 
or  lower  flash  point  indicates  that  a  slower  drying  oil 
has  been  used  or  the  varnish  contains  some  drier. 

The  results  of  these  three  tests  do  not  necessarily 
indicate  poor  varnish,  but  they  enable  the  purchaser  to 
keen  records  and  determine  whether  the  new  varnish 
offered  him  is  better  for  the  money  than  the  quality 
he  has  been  using. 


USE  OF  THE 
FLASH  TEST. 


CHAPTER  LIII. 


SOME  TROUBLES  WITH  VARNISH. 


BLOTCHING — This  is  sometimes  called  “pinholes,” 
“pocking”  or  “pitting,”  and  generally  results 
from  reducing  the  varnish  with  turpentine  or 
some  other  poor  thinner  which  is  not  thoroughly  mixed 
with  the  varnish.  It  may  also  result  from  coating  over 
an  oily  or  damp  surface. 

Sinking  or  Deadening — This  generally  follows  the 
use  of  insufficient  foundation  coats;  or  it  may  happen 
when  one  coat  is  applied  before  the  undercoat  is  thor¬ 
oughly  dry,  so  that  the  top  coating  is  absorbed  while 
drying. 

Chipping  or  Flaking — This  is  often  caused  by 
using  brittle  varnish  for  first  coats  or  by  using  varnish 
of  varying  elasticity. 

Chilling — Naturally  this  occurs  only  in  cold 
weather.  Long  or  extreme  exposure  to  cold  often 
causes  varnish  to  “speck.” 

Cracking — -Brittle  varnishes  crack  under  severe 
changes  of  temperature.  Cracking  occurs  also  when  a 
finishing  coat  is  applied  over  heavy  undercoats  that 
have  not  thoroughly  dried,  or  when  a  brittle  coat  has 
been  applied  over  an  elastic  one. 

Checking  or  Crumbling — Exposure  to  coal  gas  or 
ammonia  fumes  will  cause  this  trouble  as  will  also 
washing  with  hot  water  or  alkaline  soap. 

Crawling — This  may  be  caused  by  using  too  heavy 
coats,  or  by  finishing  before  first  coats  are  dry,  or  by 
the  quick  changes  in  the  weather  while  drying. 

Blooming — This  is  most  likely  to  happen  with  a 
quick  drying  varnish  which  does  not  carry  oil  enough 
to  resist  the  action  of  moisture  or  of  various  fumes 
and  gases,  or  with  a  varnish  in  which  the  oil  and  gum 
are  imperfectly  amalgamated. 

Brittleness — If  a  varnish  “nails”  white  it  shows 
the  presence  of  poor  material  such  as  rosin,  with  too 


COMMON  FAULT 
OF  VARNISH. 


THINGS  TO 
AVOID  IN 
VARNISHES. 


286 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


MORE  FAULTS 
THAT  ARE 
COMMON. 


REFINISHING 
PATCHY  WORK. 


little  oil  and  too  much  drier;  such  varnish  is  hard  to 
apply  and  does  not  wear  well. 

Sweating — A  varnish  coat  is  likely  to  sweat  when¬ 
ever  rubbing  is  attempted  before  varnish  is  sufficiently 
dry. 

Brush  Marks — This  trouble  results  from  working 
the  varnish  too  long  or  from  the  use  of  a  brush  too 
small. 

Drying  and  Hardening — For  varnish  to  dry  and 
harden  properly  requires  light,  ventilation  and  mod¬ 
erate  temperature.  Very  hot  weather,  very  cold 
weather  and  humidity  all  interfere  with  drying.  Best 
results  are  gotten  in  dry  atmosphere  and  a  temperature 
ranging  from  65  to  80  degrees  Fahrenheit. 

If  the  above  suggestions  are  carefully  looked  into, 
many  difficulties  can  be  overcome.  By  all  means  see 
that  the  cans  are  well  corked ;  that  the  stock  is  kept  in 
even  temperature;  avoid  extreme  changes.  Varnish 
changes  with  age,  and  especially  does  it  do  this  when 
it  is  exposed  to  atmospheric  conditions. 

Drying  from  Bottom  Up — Drying  from  the  bottom 
up,  or  drying  from  the  top,  means  the  difference  be¬ 
tween  the  surface  drying  of  boiled  oil  and  the  more 
uniform  drying  of  raw  oil  containing  driers,  as  in 
paint.  Taken  literally,  the  statement  is  incorrect,  be¬ 
cause  oxidation  or  drying  must  occur  at  the  surface  of 
the  paint  or  varnish,  and  not  at  the  bottom;  but  the 
term  “drying  from  the  bottom  up”  indicates,  as  stated, 
a  certain  process  that  is  different  from  the  usual  dry¬ 
ing  of  paint  or  varnish  or  plain  linseed  oil  that  is  a 
strong  drier  or  has  driers  added  to  it. 

In  refinishing  a  piece  of  varnish  work  that  is  patchy 
it  is  first  necessary  to  get  at  the  actual  trouble.  It  may 
be  caused  from  imperfectly  prepared  groundwork,  an 
admixture  of  raw  linseed  oil  to  varnish,  or  incom¬ 
petent  brush  work.  First  smooth  down  with  pumice 
stone  and  water;  preoare  with  a  mixture  of  equal  parts 
varnish  and  turpentine,  and  revarnish.  Lay  on  a  good 
full  coat  of  varnish  freely  and  quickly,  working  this 
again  once  or  twice  all  over  without  recharging  the 
brush,  thus  taking  off  again  some  of  the  varnish,  oc¬ 
casionally  rubbing  this  out  on  another  part  of  the  work. 


CHAPTER  LIV. 


VARNISH  TERMS  IN  FINISHING  ROOM. 

RUBBING  Varnish — A  varnish  that  is  hard, 
brittle,  one  that  when  subjected  to  rubbing  with 
pumice  or  rotten  stone  will  yield  a  high  glass¬ 
like  polish.  It  must  not  soften  with  heat,  generated 
by  friction,  nor  be  affected  by  either  oil  or  water  in 
the  rubbing  process. 

Polishing  Varnish — Having  the  same  practical 
points  as  rubbing  varnish  but  usually  capable  of  giving 
a  higher  polish. 

Dipping  Varnish — As  the  name  implies,  a  varnish 
that  will  dry  quickly,  giving  a  polished  surface,  avoid¬ 
ing  the  labor  of  applying  by  hand;  they  are  usually 
much  thinner  than  other  varnishes. 

Flowing  Varnish- — A  varnish  that  will  produce 
a  smooth  shiny  surface  without  any  after-treatment. 
A  varnish  of  this  kind  must  spread  readily  and  evenly, 
and  when  dry  will  be  devoid  of  any  brush  marks. 

Flat  Varnish — A  varnish  that,  as  the  name  im¬ 
plies,  will  dry  flat  or  with  a  matte  surface. 

Piano  Varnish — A  high  grade  varnish  that  will 
produce  a  high  polish;  an  exceptionally  hard  surface, 
that  will  withstand  polishing. 

Shellac  Varnishes — By  the  term  “shellac”  is 
implied  an  alcoholic  solution  of  gum  shellac.  This  may 
be  either  grain  alcohol,  wood  alcohol,  or  denatured 
alcohol.  Usually  three  to  three  and  half  pounds  of 
gum  are  cut  in  a  gallon  of  alcohol.  Ofttimes  called 
Liquid  Fillers,  because  they  form  an  impervious  coat 
between  the  wood  and  the  varnish.  Dry  quickly,  enter 
the  pores,  and  sand  readily. 

Damar  Varnish- — So  named  from  the  gum,  usually 
cut  in  turpentine,  and  sometimes  in  spirits.  It  is 
recommended  in  certain  places  where  extreme  pale¬ 
ness  and  transparency  is  desired.  Ofttimes  used  on 
dainty  articles  and  subjected  to  French  polishing. 
Finishing  Coat — As  the  name  implies,  it  is  the 


SHOP  TERMS 
FOR  VARNISH. 


288 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


OTHER  NAMES 
FOR  VARNISH. 


last  coat  of  varnish  used  in  the  finishing  of  work.  It 
may  be  the  first  coat,  on  top  of  a  shellac  coat;  it  may 
be  the  third  coat  on  furniture,  and  the  final  coat  on 
pianos,  usually  selected  for  its  qualifications  as  to  the 
style  of  finish  desired. 

Baking  Varnish — One  that  is  used  where  drying 
ovens  are  employed.  One  that  is  made  by  the  manu¬ 
facturer  to  dry  in  unnatural  heat  usually  containing 
more  oil,  having  advantage  of  being  more  durable, 
owing  to  the  fact  that  the  drying  process  to  which  it 
is  subjected  produces  a  more  uniform  film. 

Spraying  Varnish — Does  not  differ  materially 
from  regular  stock  varnishes,  with  the  exception  that 
as  a  rule,  they  are  thinner,  and  obtain  their  name  from 
the  fact  that  they  are  applied  with  spraying  apparatus. 

Long  and  Short  Oil  Varnish — These  terms  as 
used  by  the  finishers  apply  to  the  proportion  of  oil 
and  gum.  One  is  exemplified  by  the  rubbing  varnishes, 
and  the  other  by  spar  varnishes;  one  drying  much 
slower  and  having  more  elasticity,  and  the  other  dry¬ 
ing  harder  and  permitting  of  rubbing  to  a  high  polish. 


CHAPTER  LV. 


PRODUCTION  AND  ADULTERATION  OF  SHELLAC. 

MY  laboratory  experiences  have  convinced  me 
that  it  is  the  maltreatment  which  shellac  re¬ 
ceives  which  entails  the  difficulties  which  may 
arise  through  its  use.  This  is  not  always  the  case,  but 
when  shellac  goes  wrong,  it  is  usually  due  to  an  inferior 
quality,  having  been  used  by  the  operator  unwittingly, 
or  through  the  careless  handling  of  the  stock  before  it 
is  used.  That  it  gives  a  brittle  coating  is  conceded; 
that  it  is  not  the  best  first  coater  in  all  cases  is  also 
conceded.  Where  the  time  limit  comes  into  play,  there 
is  nothing  which  can  compare  with  shellac.  It  is  the 
oil  rubbing  that  gives  the  life  and  wearing  qualities  to 
the  shellac,  and  further,  it  depends  upon  the  quality 
and  the  number  of  coats  applied.  We  know  what 
French  polish  does;  we  know  that  it  is  a  mixture  of 
shellac  gum,  alcohol,  and  oils,  and  these  evidently  wear 
very  well,  as  they  still  are  recognized  as  par-excellence. 
So  there  will  be  no  misunderstanding,  let  my  reader 
take  two  pieces  of  furniture  which  have  been  filled 
alike  and  prepared  for  the  first  coater,  and  let  them 
be  treated  as  follows:  Let  one  be  given  the  regu¬ 
lar  first  coating  with  shellac,  the  other  given  a  coat 
of  varnish  without  any  first  coater.  Let  each  then  be 
finished  up  with  two  additional  coats  of  first-class  var¬ 
nish,  oil  rubbed  and  finished.  The  piece  with  the  shellac 
first  coat  will  show  a  bruise  by  discoloration  on  the 
bruised  spot,  whereas  the  one  which  has  but  the  var¬ 
nish  coating  will  merely  show  an  indentation. 

Now,  the  writer  is  inclined  to  believe  that  the  de¬ 
fect  in  the  experiment  in  which  the  first  coater  was 
used  did  not  result  from  the  inferior  qualities  of  shel¬ 
lac,  and  the  difficulties  that  the  manufacturer  was  hav¬ 
ing  with  shellac.  The  fluctuation  of  the  shellac  market, 
the  consequent  endeavor  of  the  shellac  manufacturer 
to  hold  the  price  uniform,  result  in  adulterations  of  the 
article.  The  houses  supplying  shellac,  and  in  using  the 


CONSIDERING 
TIME  LIMIT 
NOTHING  BEATS 
SHELLAC. 


290 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


ADULTERATING 
SHELLAC  TO 
DECREASE  COST. 


«r 


CONSUMER 
DEMANDING 
BETTER  GOODS. 


word  “shellac,”  I  mean  the  article  ready  for  the  brush, 
may  have  sought  the  assistance  of  the  manufacturing 
chemists,  and  found  that  a  shellac  varnish  could  be 
made  by  substituting  as  high  as  25  per  cent  of  rosin 
without  materially  affecting  the  drying  time  of  the 
shellac.  Dr.  H.  W.  Wiley  rightly  says  that  adulterants 
are  not  incorporated  to  lessen  the  price  to  the  consumer 
of  the  genuine  article,  but  rather  to  increase  the  profit. 
Rosin  is  not  added  to  shellac  varnish  to  increase  its 
quality,  but  it  is  added  to  decrease  the  cost. 

Let  the  reader  do  a  little  figuring.  Say  that  one 
pound  of  pure  gum  shellac  is  worth  25  cents,  and  one 
gallon  of  97  per  cent  wood  alcohol  is  worth  $1.00,  and 
a  pound  of  rosin  is  worth  21/2  cents.  Now,  then,  we 
will  make  a  gallon  of  shellac,  or  better,  we  will  take 
a  gallon  of  alcohol,  and  add  to  it  four  pounds  of  gum 
shellac  at  25  cents  per  pound.  The  resulting  quantity, 
when  it  is  all  dissolved,  will  be  better  than  a  gallon,  but 
it  will  have  cost  us  $2.00.  Now,  then,  take  another  gallon 
of  alcohol,  add  three  pounds  of  gum  shellac  and  one 
pound  of  rosin,  and  the  resulting  quantity  will  have  cost 
us  $1.7714,  a  difference  of  2214  cents.  Who  gets  that 
22V2  cents?  If  the  one  that  gets  it  is  willing  to  divide, 
he  may  save  the  consumer,  but  it  is  fair  to  believe  that 
if  the  consumer  gets  any  saving,  the  major  portion 
goes  to  the  fellow  that  got  up  the  idea  of  putting  the 
rosin,  usually  without  informing  the  consumer,  into 
the  varnish. 

This  is  an  age  where  we  are  getting  down  to  a  more 
solid  basis.  Heretofore,  the  producer  had  on  his  side 
the  chemists  and  experienced  people.  Today  it  is  be¬ 
coming  a  different  proposition.  The  consumer  has  been 
awakened.  Railroads  have  their  testing  laboratories, 
and  they  buy  their  supplies  on  the  say-so  of  their  own 
investigators,  and  so  it  is  that  these  discussions  are 
only  forerunners  of  getting  things  down  to  a  better 
basis,  for  as  soon  as  the  consumer  is  apprised  of  some¬ 
thing  unknown  to  him,  he  is  going  to  have  his  eyes 
open,  and  he  is  going  to  look  into  matters  from  a  dif¬ 
ferent  angle.  It  will  result  and  act  as  a  warning  to  the 
flagrant  substituting  and  adulterating  manufacturer.  A 
result  of  this  has  been  the  new  law  which  prohibits  the 


PRODUCTION  AND  ADULTERATION  OF  SHELLAC 


291 


sale  of  turpentine  substitutes  unless  they  are  so  labeled, 
but  as  long  as  the  trade  finds  no  fault,  the  manufacturer 
will  continue  until  he  works  his  own  ruin,  and  this  he 
has  partially  succeeded  in  doing  by  the  continued  re¬ 
duction  of  the  quality  until  the  trade  has  sought  some¬ 
thing  else,  and  created  a  demand  which  brought  forth 
the  first  coaters  by  the  varnish  houses. 

It  is  safe  to  say  that  shellac  is  not  thoroughly  under¬ 
stood.  Nor  are  its  peculiarities  known  to  the  furniture 
manufacturer.  Reference  books  tell  us  that  lac  is  a 
resinous  incrustation  excreted  by  a  scale  insect  known 
variously  as  Tachardia,  Coccus,  or  Carteria  Lacca.  The 
insects  infest  the  young  branches  and  twigs  of  various 
Asiatic  trees,  especially  figs,  and  excrete  resinous  and 
coloring  matter  under  which  they  become  buried,  often 
to  the  depth  of  more  than  a  quarter  of  an  inch.  They 
are  often  so  numerous  at  times  of  migration  that  the 
twigs  seem  to  be  concealed  by  red  dust.  In  Northern 
India  and  Assam  the  production  of  lac  is  fostered  by 
hanging  infested  twigs  in  non-infested  twigs,  and  regu¬ 
lar  collections  are  made  each  autumn  and  spring,  the 
former  being  of  greater  commercial  importance,  the 
latter  mainly  for  propagating  purposes.  Trees  in  or¬ 
dinary  vigor  are  considered  best,  and  are  said  to  fur¬ 
nish  six  or  eight  crops  before  being  given  a  rest,  though 
some  trees  may  yield  more  than  20  crops. 

Two  methods  are  commonly  employed  in  preparing 
lac  for  market.  In  the  commoner,  the  twigs  are  broken 
or  powdered  and  thrown  into  and  kneaded  in  hot  water 
to  melt  the  resin,  dissolve  the  coloring  substance  and 
separate  the  dead  insect  remains  and  wood.  Several 
alternate  washings  and  dryings  follow  in  order  to  have 
the  resin  as  free  as  possible  from  coloring  matter.  The 
dried  lac  is  then  suspended  in  coarse  cotton  sacks  before 
charcoal  fires.  The  bags  are  twisted  to  force  out  the 
resin,  which  is  caught  in  films  upon  pieces  of  wood  upon 
which  it  hardens  and  becomes  commercial  shellac.  The 
finest  quality  is  a  light  brown  or  deep  orange.  Imper¬ 
fect  removal  of  the  coloring  matter  results  in  dark 
colored  lac.  Button  lac  and  plate  lac  are  merely  the 
drops  of  various  sizes  which  missed  the  sticks  and  fell 
to  the  ground.  The  lac  that  falls  to  the  ground  from 


SOURCE  OF 
SHELLAC. 


PREPARING 
FOR  MARKET. 


292 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


ANOTHER 
PROCESS  OF 
PURIFYING  LAC. 


MODERN  IDEA 
OF  USE  OF 
SHELLAC. 


the  trees  is  collected  and  sold  as  seed  lac,  a  name  also 
given  to  the  resin  before  it  is  fused,  but  after  it  has 
been  purified  by  washing.  The  first  water  mentioned 
above  is  strained  and  evaporated,  the  purple  pigment 
cut  in  cakes  and  marketed  as  lac  dye.  The  other  pro¬ 
cess  of  purifying  the  crude  lac  consists  in  crushing  be¬ 
tween  rollers,  mixing  with  water,  stirring  in  a  cylinder, 
precipitating  the  coloring  matter  with  lime,  removing 
the  lac,  withdrawing  the  water,  pressing  the  precipitate 
into  cakes  and  drying  them  in  the  sun.  The  resin  in 
this  process  is  melted  by  steam  heat  poured  upon  tilted 
flattened  zinc  tubes  filled  with  warm  water.  After  cool¬ 
ing  it  is  marketed.  Lacs  are  prized  because  of  their 
varnishing  properties,  because  they  can  be  highly  pol¬ 
ished  when  dry  and  because  they  are  translucent  and 
in  some  of  the  finer  grades  transparent,  thus  allowing 
the  grain  of  the  wood  to  show  clearly  through  them. 

Were  it  not  for  shellac,  French  polishing  would  be 
impossible,  the  finest  finishes  being  produced  by  the 
use  of  shellac  and  oil  rubbing.  In  the  days  before  var¬ 
nishes  were  made,  we  had  lac  and  we  had  oil,  and  above 
all,  we  had  time.  With  these  three  elements  incompar¬ 
able,  pleasing  and  soft-toned  finishes  were  made.  In  the 
Orient,  shellac  is  the  basis. 

The  idea  in  the  modern  use  of  shellac  is  to  get  a 
quick  coat  over  the  filler  and  stain.  In  this  way,  at 
least  one  coat  of  varnish  is  eliminated  and  a  great  deal 
of  time  saved  because  the  shellac  dries  within  a  few 
minutes.  A  perfect  shellac  varnish  should  dry  in  six 
minutes,  and  should  be  ready  to  sandpaper  in  30  min¬ 
utes.  The  second  coat  should  dry  in  seven  or  eight 
minutes  and  in  a  few  hours  be  ready  to  sand.  The  third 
coat  should  be  ready  to  sand  in  15  to  20  minutes  and  in 
one  or  two  hours’  time  ready  to  rub  with  oil.  Shellac 
that  will  work  in  this  manner  is  usually  made  out  of 
D.  C.  or  V.  S.  0.,  these  two  brands  being  considered 
the  best  grades  of  shellac  on  the  market.  At  the  present 
time  we  have  three  solvents  for  the  gum :  Grain  alco¬ 
hol,  wood  alcohol  and  denatured  alcohol.  Grain  alcohol 
is  unquestionably  the  best,  but  it  is  prohibitive  owing 
to  the  price.  Therefore,  we  have  denatured  alcohol 
which  contains  a  small  percentage  of  naphtha.  At  any 


PRODUCTION  AND  ADULTERATION  OF  SHELLAC 


293 


rate,  the  solution  should  contain  at  least  95  per  cent  of 
alcohol,  as  a  lower  grade  alcohol  will  not  dissolve  the 
gum  and  owing  to  the  presence  of  water,  will  dry 
slowly. 

To  know  the  nature  of  shellac  would  be  to  obviate 
the  many  difficulties  that  arise  in  its  use.  Above  all,  to 
realize  the  affinity  that  alcohol  has  for  water,  would 
safeguard  shellac  varnish  from  the  many  abuses  to 
which  it  is  inadvertently  subjected.  The  affinity  of 
alcohol  for  water  is  so  great  that  if  only  a  very  little 
water  is  added  to  the  solution  of  alcohol  shellac  the 
water  will  combine  with  the  alcohol  and  a  correspond¬ 
ing  amount  of  shellac  will  precipitate  and  separate 
from  the  solution.  To  convince  the  reader,  let  him  take 
a  bottle  of  shellac  and  let  him  note  how  this  will  change 
provided  he  leaves  it  subjected  to  the  atmosphere  in 
an  uncorked  bottle.  Shellac  troubles  are  usually  had 
during  the  rainy  season,  especially  in  factories  where 
white  shellac  is  employed.  It  is  stated  by  authority 
that  about  four-fifths  of  the  shellac  varnish  made  in 
this  country  is  adulterated. 

Formulas  are  given  showing  the  use  of  acetone, 
sulphuric  ether,  orange  shellac  and  rosin.  A  shellac 
varnish  in  which  25  per  cent  of  the  gum  has  been  sub¬ 
stituted  with  rosin  will  show  no  difference  in  the  dry¬ 
ing  quality,  but  it  will  not  give  as  hard  a  finish  as  the 
pure  shellac  varnish.  If  this  rosin  shellac  is  carelessly 
handled,  it  will  dry  slower;  for  instance,  if  the  stock 
of  shellac  is  kept  in  a  wet  basement,  where  it  is  but 
loosely  corked,  it  will  deteriorate  quicker  than  if  it 
were  made  of  pure  shellac  only.  The  adulterant,  it  will 
be  seen,  acts  in  two  ways — first,  that  the  varnish  is  not 
as  good,  and  second,  that  it  increases  the  affinity  for 
water. 

The  most  trouble  is  noticed  in  white  shellac  where 
one  or  two  coats  of  shellac  are  applied,  a  milky  coating 
is  the  result.  White  shellac,  which  is  nothing  more 
than  the  orange  gum  bleached,  and  which  is  more  ex¬ 
pensive  owing  to  the  bleaching  process,  is  also  more 
apt  to  be  adulterated.  It  is  also  apt  to  contain  a  small 
percentage  of  water.  Whenever  a  white  shellac  dries 
milky,  it  is  best  to  send  it  back  to  the  manufacturer  or, 


SAFEGUARDING 

SHELLAC. 


ADULTERANT 
ACTS  IN 
TWO  WAYS. 


294 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


HOW  TO  TELL 
ADULTERATED 
SHELLAC. 


WHEN  SHELLAC 
WORKS  HEAVY. 


if  that  is  impossible,  thin  it  down  with  high  grade 
alcohol  and  use  two  coats.  If  the  shellac  dries  slowly 
and  remains  tacky,  it  is  sure  to  be  adulterated.  And, 
remember  this :  That  where  a  shellac  dries  slowly,  you 
can  anticipate  that  the  varnish  coats  will  act  likewise. 

The  chemicals  and  method  employed  for  bleaching 
shellac  when  not  properly  removed,  are  apt  to  cause 
the  difficulties  so  common  to  white  shellac.  It  has  been 
variously  attributed  to  the  presence  of  adulterants,  but 
really  in  white  shellac,  more  often  it  is  due  to  the  im¬ 
perfect  removal  of  the  chemicals  employed  in  the 
bleaching  process.  The  presence  of  chloride  of  lime, 
water  and  sometimes  oxalic  acid,  is  probably  that  which 
gives  the  milky  results,  and  it  is  almost  impossible  to 
correct  a  shellac  which  has  gone  wrong  owing  to  the 
presence  of  any  one  of  these  agents  employed.  It  is 
more  necessary  to  carefully  store  white  shellac,  owing 
to  the  fact  that  it  has  a  greater  affinity  for  water  which 
is  due  to  the  process  it  has  been  subjected  to  in  the 
bleaching. 

We  have  been  given  suggestions  that  are  well  to 
mention :  Always  use  a  glue  set  brush  for  applying 
shellac  varnish.  Use  thin  shellac.  Two  coats  of  thin 
shellac  are  better  than  one  heavy  coat.  Steel  wool  is 
better  than  sandpaper  for  smoothing  the  surface  be¬ 
tween  coats.  Do  not  touch  up  missed  places.  They 
must  be  avoided.  Keep  the  surface  smooth. 

If  a  shellac  works  heavy,  the  addition  of  Venice  tur¬ 
pentine  of  about  10  per  cent  to  the  amount  of  gum 
used,  will  make  it  work  much  better.  Shellac  should 
never  be  kept  in  tin  or  metal  containers.  They  are 
apt  to  turn  it  black.  If  it  does  turn  black,  a  little  oxalic 
acid  will  restore  the  color.  Where  large  surfaces  have 
turned  milky,  an  electric  flatiron  will  often  restore  the 
color.  This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  it  melts  the  fine  par¬ 
ticles  that  have  congealed.  Placing  the  work  near  a 
steam  pipe  will  also  restore  the  color.  The  electric  flat¬ 
iron  can  be  applied  over  a  piece  of  tracing  cloth  so  that 
it  will  not  stick  to  the  surface.  It  must  not  be  moved 
around,  but  merely  held  in  one  place  until  enough  heat 
is  absorbed  in  the  coating  to  melt  the  particles  which 
are  showing  white. 


PRODUCTION  AND  ADULTERATION  OF  SHELLAC _ 295 

Under  the  name  of  Texico  spirits,  the  Texas  Com¬ 
pany,  which  has  offices  in  all  of  the  larger  cities,  is 
marketing  their  product,  the  solvent  powders  of  which 
are  comparative  with  turpentine  and  which  is  recom¬ 
mended  in  the  place  of  turpentine.  The  following  tests 
are  given : 

Gravity . 50  degrees  B. 

Flash . 100  degrees  F. 

Boiling  point . 276  degrees 

Evaporation . , . 18  minutes 

Solvent  power  comparative  with  turpentine. 

Formulas  for  gold  paint  are  legion  and  every  manu¬ 
facturer  has  his  own  secret  composition,  says  an  ex¬ 
change.  Essentially,  gold  paint  is  bronze  powder  mixed 
with  a  varnish,  or  other  medium,  and  it  is  to  the  dis¬ 
covery  of  a  perfect  medium  that  attempts  are  being 
directed.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  perfection  has  not  come 
yet,  and  that  the  finest  gold  paint  is  markedly  inferior, 
both  as  regards  appearance  and  durability,  to  the  gold 
leaf  gilding  which  it  is  supposed  to  imitate.  The  best 
bronze  powder  for  making  gold  paint  has  the  trade 
name  of  French  flake.  This  is  a  deep  gold  color  and, 
as  seen  through  the  microscope,  consists  of  tiny  flakes 
or  spangles  of  metal,  each  flake  forming  a  facet  which 
reflects  light.  For  this  reason,  gold  paint  made  with  it 
is  more  brilliant  than  that  prepared  from  very  fine 
bronze  powders.  These  preparations  known  as  “wash¬ 
able  gold  paints,”  have  celluloid  varnish  as  a  medium. 
To  make  this  varnish,  prepare  a  saturated  solution  in 
acetone  of  one  ounce  of  finely  shredded  transparent 
celluloid  and  make  up  to  20  ounces  with  amyl 
acetate.  The  quantity  of  flake  bronze  required  will 
vary  from  one  ounce  to  four  ounces.  Washable  alumi¬ 
num  paint  is  prepared  by  substituting  the  flake  bronze 
powder  of  that  metal  for  the  gold  bronze.  The  superi¬ 
ority  of  the  celluloid  varnish  as  a  medium  lies  in  thu 
fact  that  it  incloses  the  metallic  particles  in  a  coating 
that  is  impervious  to  air  and  water,  and  that  it  con¬ 
tains  nothing  that  will  act  on  the  bronze.  Celluloid 
varnish  certainly  appears  to  be  the  best  gold  paint 
medium  yet  discovered. 


FORMULA  FOR 
GOLD  PAINT. 


ALUMINUM 

PAINT. 


I 


296 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


VARNISH  FOR 

METALLIC 

SURFACES. 


REMOVING 
ROSIN  IN 
KNOTS. 


Asphaltum  varnish  has  been  the  accepted  material 
for  the  painting  of  metallic  surfaces.  A  German  scien¬ 
tific  journal  gives  a  new  suggestion  which  may  be  of 
interest  to  the  factory  owner.  It  recommends  the  use 
of  red  lead  with  raw  linseed  oil,  and  gives  as  a  reason 
that  steam  pipes,  owing  to  their  often  exposed  posi¬ 
tions,  should  be  painted  red  so  as  to  denote  danger. 
Heretofore,  red  lead  has  been  employed  by  the  plum¬ 
ber  to  put  into  the  joints  of  pipe  lines  and  mostly  be¬ 
cause  when  mixed  with  linseed  oil  it  will  harden  and 
form  a  cement.  This,  it  has  been  found,  is  not  due  to 
the  red  lead,  but  rather  to  the  yellow  lead,  which  was 
largely  present  in  the  red  lead  as  then  manufactured. 
Present  day  red  lead  is  now  sold  so  pure  that  it  works 
up  into  a  good  paint.  It  will  dry  hard  and  has  with  it 
all  the  qualities  that  the  extreme  oxidation  can  give  it. 
Be  it  understood  that  there  are  three  oxides  of  lead, 
viz :  Plumbago,  or  black  oxide ;  litharge,  or  yellow 
oxide ;  red  lead,  or  red  oxide.  Each  contains  a  molecule 
more  of  oxygen  than  the  other.  An  ideal  paint  can  now 
be  made  by  using  33  pounds  of  red  lead  to  seven  and 
three-quarters  pounds  of  linseed  oil,  which  is  equiva¬ 
lent  to  one  gallon  to  one-third  of  a  hundred  of  red  lead. 
The  pigment  is  first  rubbed  up  with  a  very  little  oil, 
made  into  a  thorough  paste  and  then  the  balance  of  the 
oil  added,  when  it  will  form  a  first-class  paint,  perhaps 
a  trifle  stouter  than  the  ordinary  white  lead  paint,  but 
there  is  no  difficulty  in  brushing  it  out  nor  in  spreading 
it.  The  paint  will  flow  well,  soon  obliterating  brush 
marks  after  crossing  it.  In  this  present  age,  where  we 
find  that  it  pays  to  do  things  well,  and  once  for  all,  the 
suggestion  of  our  German  scientist  may  be  well  to 
remember. 

The  disfigurement  of  a  factory  show  room  which 
has  been  painted  white  or  kalsomined,  by  the  rosin  in 
the  knots  of  the  timber,  ceiling,  or  partition,  coming 
through  can  be  avoided  by  a  novel  treatment  which  has 
been  suggested  and  has  been  tried  out.  A  blow  torch  is 
used  to  heat  the  knot  as  hot  as  it  will  stand  without 
burning.  The  heat  draws  the  rosin  out  and  the  knot 
is  then  washed  with  turpentine  and  linseed  oil.  With 
this  treatment  no  shellac  is  needed.  Up  to  this  writing, 


PRODUCTION  AND  ADULTERATION  OF  SHELLAC 


297 


the  shellacing  of  knots  has  been  the  accepted  method 
for  holding  back  the  rosin.  However,  it  never  was  a 
positive  preventive  and  experiments  as  here  suggested 
have  shown  that  this  new  method  is  absolutely  reliable. 
It  is  especially  recommended  in  factory  buildings  where 
the  timbers  are  coated  with  the  fire-proof  paint.  The 
process  eliminates  all  of  the  rosin  to  the  depth  of  over 
an  eighth  of  an  inch,  and  the  heat  so  contracts  the  pores 
of  the  knot  that  it  forms  in  itself  an  impervious  sur¬ 
face. 

It  is  necessary  that  the  finisher  become  familiar 
with  a  method  for  overcoming  a  shellac  finish  which 
either  turns  white  or  gray  due  to  atmospheric  con¬ 
ditions  or  otherwise. 

Whenever  a  piece  of  furniture  is  troubled  in  this 
way,  procure  grain  alcohol  and  a  camel  hair  brush. 
Brush  the  work  with  this  alcohol.  You  might  say  coat 
it,  but  do  not  brush  back  and  forth.  Just  draw  the 
brush  over  the  work  so  that  the  shellac  finish  is  moist¬ 
ened.  The  idea  is  to  redissolve  the  congealed  particles 
and  have  them  take  on  a  clear  crystalline  condition. 
This  operation  may  have  to  be  rubbed.  Let  it  stand 
over  night  and  rub  with  very  light  pumice  stone,  soft 
felt  and  rubbing  oil.  The  only  caution  necessary  is  not 
to  rub  up  the  finish,  which  the  novice  is  apt  to  do. 

The  use  of  stock  shellac  is  the  most  modern  method 
for  repairing  blemishes,  filling  cracks  or  other  injuries 
to  the  wood.  It  comes  in  one-half  inch  square  sticks 
of  some  30  odd  shades,  being  colored  to  match  every 
kind  of  finish.  The  ideal  way  to  apply  it  is  by  means 
of  an  electric  soldering  iron,  which  can  be  connected 
with  ordinary  light  socket.  When  the  iron  becomes 
hot  it  will  melt  the  shellac,  the  operation  being  the  same 
as  that  of  the  tinsmith  when  he  applies  his  solder.  If 
this  tool  is  not  at  hand,  a  little  alcohol  flame  is  good. 
A  candle  may  do,  but  there  is  danger  of  the  candle  wax 
dropping  off.  After  the  injury  or  crack  is  filled  with 
this  colored  shellac  sand  carefully  to  even  the  surface 
and  proceed  in  the  usual  manner  with  the  finish. 


OVERCOMING 
WHITE  OR  GRAY 
SHELLAC 
FINISH. 


REPAIRING 
BLEMISHES 
WITH  SHELLAC. 


CHAPTER  LVI. 


THINGS  WORTH  KNOWING  ABOUT  LINSEED  OIL. 

LINSEED  oil  is  a  drying  oil;  that  is,  an  oil  which 
will  absorb  oxygen  from  the  atmosphere,  and 
during  this  absorption  become  solidified  into  a 
rubber-like,  water-proof  film.  The  absorption  of  this 
oxygen  produces  a  gain  in  the  weight  of  the  oil. 

Linseed  oil  is  pressed  from  the  flaxseed.  The  flax, 
in  this  case,  is  grown  especially  for  crushing  purposes. 

To  make  the  best  oil,  the  flax  is  not  cut  until  its 
seeds  have  commenced  to  ripen.  This  is  the  practice  in 
India  where  labor  costs  only  a  few  pennies  a  day.  Here 
the  flax  is  pulled  and  manipulated  entirely  by  hand  and 
the  seed  is  very  plump  and  rich  in  oil,  because  the  juices 
have  been  enriched  by  the  natural  process  of  ripening. 
The  India  seed  produces  an  oil  which  is  highly  prized 
by  all  those  who  must  have  linseed  oil,  second  to  none ; 
especially  varnish  makers,  who  consume  enormous 
quantities.  This  method  of  harvesting  flaxseed  cannot 
be  practiced  in  this  country  nor  in  South  America  or 
Russia,  where  great  quantities  are  produced,  as  it 
would  raise  the  price  far  beyond  reason. 

In  America,  flax  is  cut  by  machinery,  exactly  as  is 
wheat.  Now.  if  the  farmer  waited  until  the  seed  had 
started  to  ripen,  much  of  it  would  shell  out  from  the 
shaking  of  the  harvesting  machine  and  would  be 
wasted.  To  prevent  this,  the  seed  is  cut  while  in  the 
“dough,”  as  it  is  called,  just  previous  to  ripening. 
Although  it  becomes  solid  and  ripens  after  cutting,  it 
does  not  receive  the  juices  which  would  have  been  ob¬ 
tained  if  left  to  rinen  naturally.  Indeed,  much  of  it 
is  cut  so  green  that  it  produces  a  very  inferior  oil. 

Much  is  heard  about  cold-pressed  oil,  but  with  the 
powerful  hydraulic  presses  (the  most  common  means 
of  extracting  the  oil)  it  matters  little  whether  the  flax 
has  been  heated  slightly  (is  hot  pressed)  or  not,  as  to 
the  resulting  quality.  Heated  seed,  however,  will  make 
a  more  highly  colored  oil,  due  to  disintegration  of  muci- 


SOURCE  OF 
LINSEED  OIL. 


GREEN  FLAX 
PRODUCES 
INFERIOR  OIL. 


300 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


REFINING 
THE  OIL. 


ADULTERANTS 
OF  LINSEED 
OIL. 


laginous  matter.  It  is  doubtful  whether  this  injures 
the  binding  qualities  of  the  oil,  as  claimed  by  some,  as 
much  of  this  matter  settles  upon  standing. 

In  varnish  manufacture  particularly,  refined  oil  is 
necessary.  Linseed  oil  contains  some  coloring  matter 
which  still  remains  after  the  oil  has  settled.  Ordinary 
oil  will  impart  a  yellowish  tint  to  certain  light  tones 
especially  to  white  pigments,  particularly  white  lead 
and  zinc  white.  This  refining  is  usually  done  by  agitat¬ 
ing  it  together  with  sulphuric  acid  or  alkali  and  fil¬ 
tering. 

Boiled  linseed  oil  is  the  name  usually  given  to  oil 
which  has  been  heated  to  a  temperature  of  at  least  250 
degrees  Fahrenheit,  with  or  without  the  addition  of 
drier.  Boiled  oil  is  not  as  elastic  as  raw  oil  and  is  little 
used  for  exterior  work.  For  interior  work,  however, 
much  is  used  as  conditions  are  less  severe.  Then,  too, 
the  boiling  causes  the  oil  to  dry  much  quicker,  which 
is  particularly  desirable  for  interior  work. 

The  possibilities  of  obtaining  pure  boiled  linseed  oil 
are  very  slight  and  much  of  it  sold  under  this  name 
is  really  raw  oil,  to  which  a  cheap  benzine  drier  is 
added.  This  gives  the  oil  the  proper  color  and  drying 
qualities  of  boiled  oil.  This  adulteration,  however,  is 
detrimental  to  the  durability  of  the  oil. 

The  most  frequent  adulterants  are  mineral  oil,  rosin 
oil  and  fish  oil.  If  heavy  mineral  oil  is  used,  the  oil 
will  dry  extremely  slow  on  glass  and  after  a  few  days 
a  greasy  surface  will  be  noticed  on  the  oil  film.  If  a 
lighter  mineral  oil  is  present,  the  oil  will  dry  perfectly, 
but  the  adulterant  may  be  detected  by  the  use  of  a 
hydrometer,  i.  e.,  by  determining  its  specific  gravity. 
The  specific  gravity  of  pure  raw  linseed  oil  should  be 
between  0.932-0.936,  while  a  refined  oil  may  often  be 
0.001  lower,  and  a  boiled  oil  may  be  considerably 
lighter.  Hence,  inasmuch,  as  the  specific  gravity  of 
light  mineral  oil  often  runs  as  low  as  0.725,  a  specific 
gravity  of  less  than  0.931  would  probably  indicate  the 
presence  of  this  adulterant. 

The  detection  of  rosin  oil  and  fish  oil  is  much  more 
difficult.  Rosin  oil  may  possibly  be  detected,  if  consid¬ 
erable  is  present,  by  rubbing  a  little  between  the  palms 


THINGS  WORTH  KNOWING  ABOUT  LINSEED  OIL 


301 


of  the  hands  and  noting  the  odor,  also  by  noting  the 
rate  of  drying  and  the  appearance  of  the  oil  on  glass. 
Raw  linseed  oil  should  dry  in  from  three  to  four  days, 
while  rosin  oil  causes  the  film  to  remain  tacky  for  a 
long  time  and  prevents  it  from  hardening. 

Fish  oil  is  very  hard  to  identify  if  thoroughly 
deodorized  and  present  in  small  quantities.  However, 
if  considerable  is  present,  upon  heating,  the  odor  may 
be  revealed,  but  the  greatest  care  must  be  exercised 
not  to  confound  the  odor  with  that  given  off  by  certain 
raw  linseed  oils  when  heated.  A  careful  regard  for 
the  drying  and  appearance  on  glass  will  be  helpful,  for 
when  fish  oil  is  present  the  film  will  remain  tacky 
indefinitely. 

Often  if  a  heavy  mineral  oil  or  rosin  oil  is  used,  the 
oil  will  have  a  “bloom”  or  bluish  cast,  which  may  be 
emphasized  by  pouring  the  oil  upon  a  black  surface. 

Semi-drying  oils,  such  as  soya  bean  oil  and  corn  oil 
are  seldom  used  to  adulterate  on  account  of  their  own 
comparatively  high  cost. 

When  there  is  any  doubt  at  all  about  the  delivery 
being  pure,  the  best  course  is  to  forward  a  sample  of  it 
by  express  to  one  of  the  large  crushers  who  maintain 
laboratories  and  a  force  of  experts  in  this  line.  They 
are  always  very  glad  to  test  samples  for  the  trade  and 
make  reports  at  a  very  moderate  rate,  or  in  some  cases 
without  charge. 

To  darken  wood  with  linseed  oil,  have  the  surface 
perfectly  clean,  free  from  finger  stains  and  other  dis¬ 
colorations,  then  apply  the  oil,  giving  as  even  a  coat 
as  possible. 

Do  not  try  to  rub  in  the  coat  of  oil.  Go  quickly  and 
evenly  over  the  surface  of  the  wood,  giving  all  atten¬ 
tion  to  applying  an  even  coat,  and  avoid  all  lapping  of 
strokes  as  much  as  possible.  The  wider  a  brush  that 
can  be  used,  the  better  the  job,  but  wide  brushes  require 
lots  of  muscle  to  drive  them  when  applying  linseed  oil, 
especially  when  it  is  used  as  a  first  coat. 

The  use  of  fillers  is  not  very  desirable  when  this 
process  of  darkening  is  to  be  used.  At  least  I  have  not 
had  good  results  when  a  filler  was  used  before  the  lin¬ 
seed  oil  was  applied,  so  it  has  become  my  custom  to 


FISH  OIL 

FREQUENTLY 

USED. 


DARKENING 
WOOD  WITH 
LINSEED  OIL. 


302 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


FILLER  NOT 
DESIRABLE 
WHEN  THUS 
DARKENING. 


“"bringing  up” 

SURFACE  BY 
SANDPAPERING. 


darken  the  wood  first  and  then  afterwards  rub  in  the 
filler  very  sparingly. 

Sometimes  it  may  be  desirable  to  use  two  or  even 
three  coats  of  linseed  oil,  depending  upon  the  kind  of 
wood  and  degree  of  darkening  required.  It  is  best  to 
make  up  small  sample  pieces  of  each  kind  of  wood  to 
be  handled,  giving  one,  two,  and  three  coats  of  linseed 
oil  to  as  many  samples  of  each  kind  of  wood,  then  you 
will  be  in  position  to  know  exactly  how  many  coats 
of  oil  will  best  suit  the  work  in  hand. 

After  the  oil  has  been  applied,  and  has  dried,  or 
“struck  in”  sufficiently  to  allow  the  work  to  be  handled 
without  showing  finger  spots,  place  the  work  in  a 
japanning  oven  and  bake  at  least  two  hours  at  a  low 
heat,  then  raise  the  temperature  until,  at  the  end  of  the 
third  hour,  the  wood  gives  off  a  smell  of  scorching — 
the  “hot-wood”  smell  with  which  we  are  all  so  familiar. 

Upon  removal  from  the  japan  oven,  after  treat¬ 
ment  as  above,  the  wood  will  be  found  very  dark,  closely 
resembling  ebony,  somewhat  rough  on  the  surface  but 
easily  smoothed  by  light  sandpapering  or  by  burnishing 
with  a  blunt  steel  tool.  Care  should  be  taken  in  sand¬ 
papering  to  remove  as  little  as  possible  from  the  sur¬ 
face,  for  the  darkest  fibers  are  those  closest  to  the  sur¬ 
face,  and  the  more  they  are  removed  the  lighter  and 
more  streaked  the  work  will  appear. 

Very  light  sandpapering,  indeed,  will  “bring  up” 
the  surface.  It  seems  that  the  work  requires  more  of 
a  polishing,  if  that  term  can  be  allowed,  with  old  or 
very  fine  sandpaper  than  a  regular  sandpapering.  Just 
remove  the  fibers  raised  by  action  of  the  oil  and  the 
heat.  Oil  swells  wood  in  the  same  manner  that  water 
swells  it,  although  to  a  far  less  extent,  and  the  surface 
fibers  are  sure  to  be  slightly  raised  by  the  oiling  pro¬ 
cess.  Take  off  these  raised  fiber-points  and  a  smooth 
surface  is  again  obtained. 

Whatever  filler  is  to  be  used  should  be  applied  be¬ 
fore  the  sandpapering  is  done.  Sometimes  it  is  possible 
to  sandpaper  before  the  filler  is  thoroughly  dry — not 
appreciably  wet,  but  just  green  enough  so  the  dust 
raised  by  the  sandpaper  will  be  caught  in  the  damp 
filler  and  retained  in  the  cavities  of  the  wood.  Some 


THINGS  WORTH  KNOWING  ABOUT  LINSEED  OIL 


303 


excellent  effects  may  sometimes  be  obtained  in  that 
way,  but  great  care  is  required,  or  the  work  may  be 
spoiled  by  a  muddy,  streaky  look,  which  no  subsequent 
operation  can  remove,  short  of  planing  the  entire  sur¬ 
face  and  darkening  it  again. 

When  the  surface  has  been  darkened  and  smoothed 
to  suit,  it  can  be  finished  either  by  varnishing,  or  by 
oiling  without  any  varnish.  Or,  a  certain  proportion 
of  varnish  may  be  mixed  with  the  oil  and  excellent 
results  obtained.  The  use  of  oil  alone  gives  that  peculiar 
effect  so  much  desired  by  the  makers  of  Mission  styles. 


AVOIDING 
MUDDY  LOOK. 


CHAPTER  LVII. 


AIR  BRUSH  EQUIPMENT  IN  FINISHING. 

MUCH  has  been  written  about  the  methods  of  air 
brush  finishing,  but  the  information,  while  giv¬ 
ing  essential  points,  has  not  seemed  technical 
enough  on  the  actual  merits  of  the  equipment.  The 
finishing  of  a  manufactured  article  is  of  vital  import¬ 
ance  from  the  standpoint  of  sales.  Nothing  depends 
more  on  increasing  the  reputation  of  the  manufacturer 
than  the  care  given  in  finishing  his  product.  Appear¬ 
ance  counts  for  considerable  from  the  point  of  view  of 
sales,  reputation  and  satisfaction. 

The  air  brush,  while  necessarily  a  mechanical  tool, 
should  be  of  such  construction  that  it  will  be  capable 
of  supplying  the  manufacturers  with  these  qualifica¬ 
tions  of  finish  demanded  of  it.  It  must  be  a  tool  not 
only  equal  to  the  improving  of  finish  at  a  big  saving, 
but  one  which  will  add  to  the  product  such  refinement 
in  the  work  that  it  immediately  becomes  a  very  impor¬ 
tant  factor  in  the  shop.  It  must  not  be  merely  a 
sprayer.  It  should  be  an  instrument  of  great  efficiency ; 
one  which  responds  to  the  slightest  will  of  the  operator 
and  is  under  his  absolute  control  at  all  times.  There  is 
a  big  difference  between  an  air  brush  and  a  sprayer. 
The  air  brush  represents  the  most  complete  or  advanced 
stage  of  finishing  devices.  The  same  relative  difference 
is  proven  daily  in  air  brushes  in  regard  to  quality  and 
efficiency,  as  any  finisher  knows  who  has  used  good  and 
poor  air  brushes.  Air  brushes  will  absolutely  apply 
finishes  more  evenly,  more  economically  and  satisfac¬ 
torily  than  the  old  method  of  hand  brushing.  Economy 
in  finishing  does  not  rest  with  the  saving  of  time.  It  is 
an  assured  fact  air  brushes  will  save  the  manufacturers 
from  25  per  cent  to  75  per  cent  in  labor  as  well,  de¬ 
pending  on  the  nature  of  the  work  to  be  finished.  Com¬ 
pressed  air  costs  little  compared  to  the  great  saving 
in  time  and  labor.  Manufacturers,  owing  to  the  ease 
and  speed  of  handling  the  finishing  of  their  products, 


SALES  DEPEND 
ON  FINISH. 


AIR  BRUSH 
DOES  BEST 
WORK. 


306 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


AIR  BRUSH 
ECONOMICAL. 


have  been  able  to  double  their  output  without  adding 
to  floor  space  or  increasing  payroll. 

Many  manufacturers  have  been  amazed  at  the  seem¬ 
ingly  large  waste  of  material.  Some  have  been  misled 
by  ones  not  specific  enough.  Air  brush  finishing  actu¬ 
ally  wastes  very  little  material,  due  to  the  fact  that  the 
material,  as  applied  with  the  air  brush  is,  or  should  be, 
thinned  five  to  50  per  cent,  according  to  the  nature  of 
the  work  and  various  materials  used.  There  are  in¬ 
numerable  preparations  of  all  kinds  and  descriptions 
used.  These  must  be  reduced  in  regard  to  consistency. 
The  thinner  seldom  is  costly.  While  there  is  a  waste, 
this  volume  in  waste  depends  wholly  with  the  equip¬ 
ment  in  use  as  well  as  the  experience  of  the  operator. 


THE  AERON  SYSTEM  OF  FINISHING 


Considering  the  superior  finishes  obtained  and  the 
great  saving  in  other  features,  the  small  waste  is  not 
considered  by  manufacturers  who  have  become  thor¬ 
oughly  posted  and  experts  in  the  proper  manipulation, 
and  perfected  their  system  of  handling  the  work.  Man¬ 
ufacturers  who  have  used  and  observed  the  finishes  pro¬ 
duced  by  air  brushes  all  agree  on  one  point,  namely: 
That  air  brush  finishing  when  completed  is  far  superior 
to  hand  brush  methods.  Uniformity  of  finish  without 


AIR  BRUSH  EQUIPMENT  IN  FINISHING  307 


tears,  sags,  runs  or  dregs  along  the  edges  is  a  feature 
of  air  brush  finishing.  The  finishing  material  being 
applied  by  air  is  forced  into  every  crevice  by  the  simple 
sweep  of  the  hand  and  the  pull  of  a  trigger  removing 
the  strenuous  efforts  on  the  operator  which  would  tire 
him  out  should  this  same  force  be  induced  in  hand 
brushing.  On  uneven  surfaces,  carvings,  ornaments, 
etc.,  air  brush  finishing  is  particularly  advantageous. 
A  great  many  plants  have  a  foreman  of  finishing  who 
may  be  an  expert,  particularly  in  flowing  on  a  finish. 
Should  he  become  sick  or  die,  it  often  ties  up  the  whole 
finishing  department  until  another  efficient  or  expert 
foreman  is  found  to  fill  this  vacancy.  When  air  brush 
equipment  is  installed  after  a  very  short  time,  depend¬ 
ing  with  the  finisher  handling  the  air  brushes,  the 
operators  are  all  experts.  This  is  of  untold  advantage 
to  the  manufacturer.  Most  materials  will  set  twice  as 
quick  when  applied  by  the  brush,  particularly  in  case 
of  shellacs,  enamels  and  varnish. 

Manufacturers  should  be  sure  to  help  the  finishers 
to  obtain  the  best  results  by  co-operating  in  installing 
proper  equipment.  The  oil  and  water  separators  should 
be  installed  near  the  finishing  booths.  This  removes 
all  moisture  and  grease  or  dirty  oil  which  may  work 
into  the  air  lines  from  air  compressor  and  endanger 
the  finish  or  ruin  it. 

Better  finishes  are  obtained  by  heating  all  materials 
as  well  as  the  air  with  proper  heating  system.  This  is 
essential  in  spraying  varnishes  and  shellacs.  Too  much 
cannot  be  said  of  its  value  as  used  in  connection  with 
air  brush  finishing.  In  reality  it  is  one  of  the  many 
important  parts  of  a  high  grade  finishing  equipment. 
The  absence  of  a  good  heating  system  has  caused  many 
a  manufacturer  no  end  of  trouble  and  great  losses  at 
various  times.  The  virtue  of  heating,  not  only  the 
material  but  air  as  well,  was  not  known  and  appreciated 
until  a  short  time  ago.  Since  the  fact  became  known, 
the  result  has  been  better  finishes  and  thousands  of 
dollars  have  been  saved. 

Fusel  oil  when  used  sparingly,  particularly  in  spray¬ 
ing  of  enamels  and  heavy  paints,  is  found  very  satis¬ 
factory  in  air  brush  coating.  The  under  coating  can 


MATERIALS  SET 
QUICKER  WITH 
AIR  BRUSH. 


FINISHES 
SHOULD  BE 
HEATED. 


308 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


TWO  WELL 
KNOWN  AIR 
BRUSH 
METHODS. 


be  done  with  ease  with  much  better  results  than  can  be 
obtained  by  the  harder  method  of  air  brush  work.  The 
air  brush  ordinarily  saves  two  coats  out  of  five  required 
by  hand  brush  methods  and  very  frequently  gives  the 
same  or  better  results  in  two  or  three  coats  that  manu¬ 
facturers  have  been  giving  the  same  product,  using  five 
or  six  coats  by  hand  process  work. 

Air  brush  finishing  does  not  rest  with  the  manufac¬ 
turers  of  high  grade  furniture  or  wood  products  but 


RAPID  METHOD  OF  APPLYING  VARNISH 


TWO  STYLES 
OF  AERONS. 


is  also  being  used  with  remarkable  success  by  manu¬ 
facturers  of  metal  goods  who  have  found  a  bigger 
saving  with  the  same  special  advantages  as  furniture, 
piano  manufacturers  for  filling,  coating,  enameling,  lac¬ 
quering,  bronzing  and  all  around  finishing. 

There  are  two  equipments  for  finishing  along  the 
lines  just  indicated :  The  Paasche  or  air  brush  method 
described  in  the  foregoing  paragraphs,  and  the  Aeron, 
or  the  spraying  method. 

There  are  two  styles  of  Aerons,  one  with  the  at¬ 
tached  fluid  cup,  and  the  other  without  the  cup,  receiv¬ 
ing  the  fluid  from  a  container  placed  overhead.  Of  these 


AIR  BRUSH  EQUIPMENT  IN  FINISHING 


309 


two  styles  there  are  several  sizes  and  different  types 
to  meet  every  requirement.  Then  there  is  the  air  com¬ 
pressor  and  the  air  receiver,  and  also  the  air  trans¬ 
former  set,  together  with  air  duster,  for  regulating  the 
air  pressure  and  purifying  the  air,  and  for  cleaning  the 
parts  to  be  finished. 

There  is  also  the  electric  air  heater  which  is  at¬ 
tached  to  the  Aeron  at  the  last  possible  point  of  con¬ 
tact,  and  which  supplies  the  only  practical  way  of  heat¬ 
ing  the  air  and  keeping  it  heated  until  it  reaches  the 
work,  and  of  raising  the  temperature  of  the  material. 

To  complete  the  equipment  there  is  the  fireproof, 
indestructible  steel  fumexer  in  which  the  aeroning  or 
spraying  is  done.  The  back  of  the  fumexer  is  funnel- 
shaped  clear  to  the  floor.  This  scientifically  correct 
style  of  back  together  with  the  large  fan  opening  and 
arrangement  and  the  short  exhaust  pipe  combine  to 
insure  the  height  of  exhausting  efficiency.  The  fumexer 
is  made  in  a  variety  of  sizes,  ranging  from  three  feet 
to  16  feet  in  width,  with  the  proper  number  of  fans 
installed  in  each  size.  A  turn-table,  which  is  also  sup¬ 
plied,  greatly  facilitates  the  handling  of  the  work.  The 
autocool  electric  exhaust  fan  installed  in  the  fumexer 
has  a  protected  and  automatically  cooled  motor;  it  can 
be  swung  inward  for  cleaning;  each  fan  is  a  self-con¬ 
tained  unit  and  can  be  adapted  to  any  kind  of  work ;  it 
requires  no  belts,  nor  millwright  work,  and  takes  up 
no  valuable  floor  space;  it  has  a  one-twelfth  horse¬ 
power  motor  and  can  be  attached  to  any  electric  light 
socket,  using  one-tenth  to  one-twentieth  the  current  to 
do  the  same  work  as  other  style  fans.  The  autocool  fan 
is  made  in  one  size  only,  the  number  of  fan  units  being 
increased  to  two  or  more  for  fumexers  above  five  feet 
in  width.  The  big  advantage  of  the  fan  arrangement 
is  that  a  better  distribution  of  exhaust  is  secured,  and 
the  vapor  is  quickly  moved  at  low  pressure. 

In  using  the  Aeron  system,  for  which  the  air  pres¬ 
sure  required  varies  from  30  to  80  pounds,  it  is  not 
necessary  to  finish  separately  different  parts  of  any 
particular  job,  allowing  time  for  one  part  to  set  up 
before  coating  another,  in  order  to  obtain  a  full  bodied 
application.  All  surfaces  that  are  to  be  finished  can 


SPRAYING 
DONE  IN  A 
FUMEXER. 


ALL  PARTS 
CAN  BE 
COATED  IN 
ONE  OPERATION. 


HEAVIER 
COAT  THAN 
WITH  BRUSH. 


810 _ PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 

be  coated  in  one  operation,  and  it  is  also  quite  possible 
to  put  on  a  heavier  coat  than  with  the  brush  without 
the  danger  of  sags  or  runs.  This  is  of  particular  advan¬ 
tage  in  the  application  of  coach  varnish,  where  a  full 
body  and  high  gloss  must  be  obtained  with  as  few  coats 
as  possible. 


CHAPTER  LVIII. 


EXPLAINING  A  STANDARD. 

IN  AN  explanation  of  the  following  term,  “U.  S.  F.n, 
let  it  be  said  that  these  letters  stand  for  the  words 
United  States  Pharmacopoeia.  This  work  is  a  MEANIN, 
standard,  adopted  by  the  United  States  government  u#  s.  P. 
which  has  a  commission  that  meets  every  10  years, 
and  standardizes  medical  and  chemical  compounds  as 
well  as  chemicals  themselves.  Thus  when  a  formula 
is  given  in  New  York  City  and  filled  in  San  Francisco, 
it  will  be  made  up  of  the  same  standardized  material. 

Not  only  is  this  true  of  our  country,  but  the  foreign 
countries,  in  fact  almost  all  the  countries  comprising 
the  Postal  Union,  have  adopted  the  same  standard. 

It  has  been  mentioned  in  this  book  that  materials 
of  universal  standard  and  materials  subject  to  as  little 
physical  change  as  possible  should  be  employed.  For 
example,  the  reference  to  the  solution  chloride  of  iron, 
or  the  solution  sulphate  of  iron.  This  material,  as  well 
as  many  others,  is  governed  by  the  U.  S.  P.,  and  there¬ 
fore,  the  purchasing  of  materials  under  this  standard 
will  obviate  a  great  many  pitfalls  in  the  making  of 
stains,  according  to  the  formulas  given. 


CHAPTER  LIX. 


THE  PRODUCTION  OF  LACQUERS. 

LACQUERS  are  coming  more  and  more  into  use 
in  the  finish  of  high  grade  furniture,  and  it  is 
evident  the  demand  will  increase  rather  than  de¬ 
crease  in  the  years  to  come. 

The  preparation  of  their  solvents  calls  for  high  skill 
and  care.  Lacquer  solvents  are  prepared  water  white 
and  free  from  both  water  and  acid.  Those  solvents 
that  are  free  from  acid  when  made  and  become  acid 
with  age,  must  be  avoided,  as  their  presence  spells 
trouble.  They  produce  discoloration  of  the  metal. 
Long  experience  alone  tells  what  solvents  to  use  to¬ 
gether  and  in  what  proportions.  A  single  solvent  can¬ 
not  be  used,  for  dip  work  requires  one  rate  of  evapora¬ 
tion,  while  spray  work  requires  another. 

The  base  solvent  of  lacquer  is  nitrated  cotton,  made 
by  soaking  clean  cotton  in  mixtures  of  nitric  and  sul¬ 
phuric  acids  at  various  temperatures  and  lengths  of 
time.  As  cotton  fiber  is  hollow  and  very  absorbent,  it 
is  a  difficult  and  lengthy  job  to  wash  thousands  of 
pounds  of  it  after  nitration,  'making  it  free  from  acid. 
If  acid  is  left  in  the  cotton,  the  latter  will  decompose, 
and  if  the  cotton  is  made  up  into  lacquer  before  that 
operation,  the  lacquer  will  naturally  be  defective. 

In  the  production  of  heavy-coated,  high  gloss  lac¬ 
quers,  various  gums  are  added,  some  to  cause  hardness, 
some  for  gloss  and  some  for  adhesion,  each  in  proper 
proportion,  and  each  with  the  necessary  amount  of  the 
proper  solvent.  If  the  use  of  heavy  coats  of  gum  lac- 
ouers  are  used,  they  should  be  dried  under  considerable 
heat  to  produce  the  right  hardness.  The  gloss  will 
then  be  greater. 

Green  and  brown  stains  on  brass  and  bronze  wares 
cause  frequent  troubles.  They  are  usually  caused  by 
acid  conditions  of  the  lacquer,  brought  about  in  many 
ways,  usually  by  unclean  work.  Lacquer  work  must 
be  chemically  clean.  Metal  in  the  lacquer  will  corrode. 


HIGH  SKILL 
AND  CARE 
NEEDED. 


GUMS  ADDED 
FOR  GLOSS  AND 
HARDNESS. 


314 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


WRONG 
CONTAINERS 
FOR  LACQUER. 


QUALITIES  OF 
LACQUER  ARE 
MANY. 


Lacquer  thinner  is  a  good  cleaner  and  removes  quickly 
any  buffing  dirt  and  leaves  it  in  the  lacquer.  Brass 
work  that  has  much  soft  soldering  and  is  acid  dipped 
will  cause  trouble.  For  that  and  all  similar  troubles, 
use  the  lacquer  in  as  small  dip  tanks  as  possible,  and 
at  the  end  of  a  day  pour  back  the  lacquer  unused,  after 
filtering  through  cheese  cloth. 

For  silver  work  only  glass  tanks  and  stone  jars 
should  be  used  as  containers,  except  for  common  work 
when  tin  cans  soldered  with  tin  may  be  used.  Lacquer 
should  not  be  kept  in  lead,  copper  or  zinc  cans.  Poor 
work  with  lacquer,  which  is  often  charged  up  to  poor 
material,  is  usually  traced  to  keeping  it  in  an  improper 
container. 

In  medium  priced  work  there  is  often  trouble  with 
the  lacquer  turning  white  in  drying.  With  fusel  oil 
now  so  high  priced,  it  is  evident  lacquer  cannot  be  made 
at  a  cost  less  than  the  price  of  the  oil  unless  a  lower 
priced  solvent  is  used  with  the  amyl  acetate.  Lower 
priced  solvents  are  rapid-evaporating.  The  turning 
white  trouble  takes  place  only  in  very  damp  weather, 
when  it  is  so  warm  that  windows  of  the  work  room  are 
thrown  open.  The  work  is  chilled  which  causes  the 
lacquer  to  turn  white.  It  will  not  take  place  if  the  work 
is  done  in  a  dry  atmosphere. 

“Pink  silver”  is  caused  in  various  ways.  Grease  left 
from  buffing  will  produce  it;  if  the  work  in  hand  has 
not  been  thoroughly  cleaned  of  red  buffing  material, 
the  work  is  sure  to  be  pink  after  lacquering.  Some 
hollow  ware  with  a  fair  plate  on  the  outside,  but  no 
special  attention  paid  to  the  inside,  will  often  show  all 
right  on  the  former  and  a  rich  pink  color  on  the  latter, 
some  time  after  lacquering. 

There  is  a  great  variety  of  work  in  lacquer  in  China 
and  Japan,  with  almost  as  many  qualities  as  there  are 
varieties.  China  and  Japan  both  claim  priority  in  the 
art  of  lacquering.  Japan  has  brought  the  art  to  its 
highest  development  in  every  way,  although  some  sam¬ 
ples  of  Foochow  lacquer  equals  that  of  Japan  for  com¬ 
mercial  shipments. 

The  exact  process  of  preparing  lacquer  not  only  dif¬ 
fers  as  between  China  and  Japan,  but  differs  in  the 


THE  PRODUCTION  OF  LACQUERS 


315 


nature  of  each  piece  of  work,  the  article  made,  the  color 
and  quality.  In  general,  the  basis  of  all  lacquering  is 
a  varnish  obtained  from  the  resinous  juice  of  the  rhus 
vernicifora  or  “uruso-no-ki,”  “urushi”  or  “varnish 
tree”  cultivated  in  many  parts  of  China  and  Japan  for 
the  purpose.  This  tree,  in  many  respects,  resembles  an 
ash.  It  grows  to  a  height  of  from  15  to  18  feet,  and 
can  be  tapped  after  seven  years.  The  varnish  is  ob¬ 
tained  by  making  incisions  in  the  bark  of  the  tree,  near 
its  base,  before  daylight  during  the  months  of  July  and 
August  and  catching  the  sap  which  exudes  as  a  mixed 
clear  and  milky  product. 

This  sap  is  placed  in  tubs  or  similar  vessels  which 
are  set  in  the  sun  to  exaporate  all  moisture.  It  separates 
into  a  clear,  almost  colorless  resinous  liquid  which  rises 
to  the  top  and  into  a  thicker,  more  resinous  and  darker 
liquid  mass  which  settles  to  the  bottom.  The  qualities 
are  then  separated  by  decanting,  the  top  representing 
the  finer  grades  and  the  bottom  the  lowest  grades  used 
for  ordinary  paints,  “Ningpo  varnish”  and  similar 
ordinary  work.  This  liquid,  in  its  various  qualities,  is 
the  basis  of  all  lacquering,  and  variations  in  treatment 
begin  with  the  various  ways  and  degrees  of  refining 
of  the  liquid.  The  liquid  is  separated  into  grades  by 
minute  degrees  for  fine  work. 

It  is  colored  various  shades  in  various  ways.  For 
example,  in  China,  black  is  obtained  by  stirring  the 
liquid  in  the  air  until  it  thickens  somewhat,  and  then 
mixing  with  it  a  stain  obtained  by  mixing  gall-nuts 
and  iron.  Other  shades  involve  the  use  of  ox  blood, 
sulphate  of  iron,  vermilion,  tea  oil  and  other  substances. 
In  China  the  liquid  is  thinned  for  use  by  the  addition 
of  vernicia  montana,  Camellia  cleifera,  sulphate  of  iron, 
rice  and  vinegar  and  sometimes  wood  oil.  The  use  of 
each  of  these  substances  represents  some  especial 
need,  difference  in  quality  or  condition  or  especial 
object  in  view,  and  is  not  altogether  a  matter  of  con¬ 
venience  at  the  time.  The  lacquer  is  poisonous  until 
dry. 

Usually  the  wood  to  be  lacquered  is  soft,  dry  pine. 
The  surface  and  corners  are  made  absolutely  smooth; 
joints  are  stopped  by  oakum,  paper  pulp  or  strips  of 


THE  BASIS 
OF  LACQUER. 


THE  COLORING 
OF  LACQUER. 


316 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


THE  PROCESS 
OF  LACQUERING. 


DIFFERENCE  IN 
QUALITY  OF 
LACQUERS. 


grass  cloth.  Paper  is  pasted  over  rough  joints  to  make 
all  smooth  for  the  varnish.  Emery  powder  is  then 
used  for  a  coat  on  the  piece,  sometimes  vermilion  or 
gamboge  being  used.  After  drying,  the  whole  is  ground 
down  by  pumice  stone,  powdered  sandstone  or  pow¬ 
dered  deer  horn.  The  same  preparation  is  again  ap¬ 
plied  and  ground  down  again.  Then  the  lacquer  is 
evenly  applied  with  a  broad,  soft  brush  and  in  a  room 
free  from  breezes  and  dust,  and  with  a  minimum  of 
light.  In  fact  a  dark,  damp  room  is  the  best  lacquer 
finishing  room.  After  the  varnish  dries,  the  piece  is 
ground  down  and  polished.  The  same  process  is  then 
repeated,  the  minimum  number  of  coats  being  three, 
while  often  as  many  as  16  are  applied. 

For  solid  colors,  this  alternate  varnishing  and  pol¬ 
ishing  constitutes  the  finish.  Various  decorations  are 
applied  in  different  ways.  In  mother  of  pearl  inlay 
work,  for  example,  the  mother  of  pearl  is  cut  in  the 
desired  figures  in  thin  shell,  and  the  pieces  are  placed 
in  position  on  the  undried  surface  soon  after  the  appli¬ 
cation  of  one  of  the  early  coats  of  varnish  and  are  then 
varnished  over,  polished  as  the  rest  of  the  surface, 
revarnished,  and  so  on,  becoming  imbedded  in  the 
enamel  and  polished  and  repolished  as  a  part  of  it. 
Lacquer  is  mixed  with  various  substances,  and  raised 
figures  are  made  and  applied  to  the  surface  in  the  same 
way  and  are  ground  and  revarnished  in  the  same  way 
for  relief  work.  The  process  is  the  same,  with  varied 
manner  of  work,  for  articles  of  the  most  intricate  de¬ 
sign.  In  general,  the  difference  in  qualities  of  lacquer 
work,  therefore,  depends  first,  upon  the  high  refinement 
of  the  lacquer  and  the  manner  of  its  early  treatment, 
which  in  the  old  processes  often  represented  the  work 
of  many  men  for  an  incredible  time,  most  of  which 
finer  processes  are  impossible  in  countries  without 
labor  of  extraordinary  cheapness  and  skill;  and  sec¬ 
ondly,  on  the  care  and  skill  with  which  the  articles 
lacquered  are  prepared,  and  the  care  and  skill  with 
which  the  lacquer  is  applied  and  decorations  are  made. 


CHAPTER  LX. 


GOVERNMENT  PROTECTION  TO  MANUFACTURER. 

IT  IS  NOT  generally  known  that  turpentine,  which 
is  used  in  every  finishing  room,  and  in  so  many  dif¬ 
ferent  ways  in  the  manufacturing  industries,  has 
a  governmental  standard,  according  to  an  act  regulat¬ 
ing  the  sale  of  turpentine  and  providing  penalties  for 
the  violation  of  this  act.  Turpentine  is  designated  Pure 
Gum  Spirits  of  Turpentine,  and  every  dealer  or  manu¬ 
facturer  selling  this  article  must  so  brand  it.  All  that 
is  necessary  is  to  demand  spirits  of  turpentine,  as 
designated  by  the  government,  and  it  is  then  up  to  the 
manufacturer  or  wholesaler  to  deliver  the  article. 

Provisions  are  made  in  the  act  for  the  marking  or 
labeling  of  compounds  which  distinctly  prescribes  that 
it  shall  be  labeled  “Adulterated  Turpentine.”  Turpen¬ 
tine  made  from  wood  by  the  distillation  of  pine  stumps, 
etc.,  must  be  labeled  Wood  Turpentine.  A  good  deal 
of  adulterated  turpentine  is  still  for  sale,  and  is  offered 
where  price  competition  is  strong  because  it  is  so 
easily  adulterated  with  naphtha.  The  act  regulating 
the  sale  of  the  genuine  article  is  not  generally  known 
by  the  consumer.  As  soon  as  the  buyer  understands 
what  he  can  rightfully  demand,  all  that  is  necessary, 
for  him  to  do,  is  to  ask  the  salesman  to  deliver  to  him 
spirits  of  turpentine  according  to  the  act,  which  is 
very  plain. 

The  act  as  given  is  that  of  the  State  of  Michigan, 
and  in  all  points  it  is  practically  the  same  as  that  of 
other  states  governing  the  sale  of  turpentine. 

We  give  herewith  a  copy  of  the  house  enrolled  act 
regulating  the  sale  of  turpentine  and  providing  penal¬ 
ties  for  the  violation  of  the  act : 

Section  1.  No  person,  firm  or  corporation  shall  man¬ 
ufacture,  mix  for  sale,  sell  or  offer  for  sale,  for  other 
than  medicinal  purposes  under  the  name  of  turpentine 
or  under  the  name  composed  of  a  part  or  parts  of  the 
word  turpentine,  or  spirits  of  turpentine,  and  any  ar- 


ATTEMPTS  TO 

PREVENT 

ADULTERATION. 


318 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


TURPENTINE 
HAS  MANY 
SUBSTITUTES. 


STATE 

AUTHORITIES 

PROSECUTE. 


tide  which  is  not  wholly  distilled  from  resin,  turpen¬ 
tine  gum,  or  scrape  from  pine  trees  and  unmixed  and 
unadulterated  with  oil,  benzine  or  other  foreign  sub¬ 
stances  of  any  kind  whatsoever,  unless  the  package 
containing  the  same  shall  be  stenciled  or  marked  with 
letters  not  less  than  one  inch  square  and  one-fourth 
inch  apart,  “Adulterated  Turpentine,”  except  turpen¬ 
tine  produced  from  turpentine  gum,  extracted  wholly 
from  pine  wood  which  turpentine  is  known  as  “wood 
turpentine,”  must  be  stenciled  or  marked  “wood  tur¬ 
pentine”  with  letters  not  less  than  one  inch  square  and 
one-fourth  inch  apart.  When  such  wood  turpentine 
is  mixed  and  adulterated  with  oil,  benzine  or  other 
foreign  substances  of  any  kind  whatsoever,  the  con¬ 
tainer  shall  be  stenciled  or  marked  “Adulterated  Wood 
Turpentine”  with  letters  not  less  than  one  inch  square 
and  one-fourth  inch  apart.  When  wood  turpentine  is 
mixed  with  turpentine  distilled  from  resin,  turpentine 
gum,  or  scraped  from  pine  trees  in  any  quantity  what¬ 
soever,  the  container  shall  be  stenciled  or  marked 
“wood  turpentine”  with  letters  not  less  one  inch  square 
and  one-fourth  inch  apart.  Nothing  herein  contained 
shall  be  construed  to  prohibit  the  manufacture  or  sale 
of  any  compound  or  imitation,  providing  the  container 
shall  be  plainly  marked  and  the  purchaser  notified  as 
aforesaid. 

Section  2.  The  dairy  and  food  commissioner  of 
Michigan  shall  enforce  the  provisions  of  this  chapter 
and  the  penal  statute  relating  thereto,  and  such  com¬ 
missioner,  his  assistants,  experts,  chemists  and  agents 
shall  have  access  and  ingress  to  the  places  of  business, 
stores  and  buildings  used  for  the  sale  of  turpentine, 
and  may  open  any  package,  can  or  jar  or  other  recep¬ 
tacles  containing  any  turpentine  that  may  be  manufac¬ 
tured,  sold  or  offered  for  sale  in  violation  of  this 
statute.  The  inspectors,  assistants  or  chemists  ap¬ 
pointed  by  such  commissioner  shall  perform  like  duties 
and  have  like  authority  under  this  chapter  and  the 
penal  statutes  relating  thereto  as  is  provided  by  law. 
Such  commissioner  shall  publish  bulletins  from  time  to 
time  giving  the  results  of  the  inspection  and  analysis 
with  such  information  as  he  deems  suitable. 


GOVERNMENT  PROTECTION  TO  MANUFACTURER 


319 


Section  3.  Whosoever  violates  any  provisions  of 
law  relating  to  the  labeling,  marking  or  stenciling  of 
turpentine  or  wood  turpentine  by  manufacturers  or 
distributors  thereof,  shall  be  fined  not  more  than  $50 
for  the  first  offense,  and  for  each  subsequent  offense 
shall  be  fined  not  less  than  $50  nor  more  than  $100,  or 
imprisoned  not  less  than  30  days,  nor  more  than 
100  days  or  both. 


PENALTY  FOR 
OFFENDING. 


CHAPTER  LXI. 


THE  CARE  OF  RAW  FINISHED  STOCK. 


WITH  the  furniture  factory,  planing  mill,  or  any¬ 
where  that  the  finished  stock  is  of  a  grade  that 
is  finished  natural  and  not  painted;  where 
freshness  and  the  tone  of  the  wood  is  an  object,  it  is 
almost  as  important  to  take  proper  care  of  raw  finished 
stock  after  it  has  been  through  the  machine  as  it  is  to 
exercise  care  in  doing  the  work  right  with  the  machine. 

Anybody  knows,  or  ought  to  know,  that  it  is  not 
good  for  clean,  bright,  finished  stock  to  be  handled  with 
soiled  hands.  In  sash  and  door  houses  where  they 
exercise  great  care  in  keeping  the  stock  fresh,  because 
it  must  be  kept  stored  a  long  time,  they  often  make  the 
men  handling  it  wear  clean  duck  gloves  or  something 
of  the  kind,  to  prevent  soiling  it  with  the  hands. 

Then  in  storing  it  they  take  pains  to  keep  not  only 
the  sunlight  but  the  daylight  away  from  the  stock. 
They  keep  it  in  dark  warehouses  where  it  will  remain 
as  fresh  as  if  it  had  just  come  from  the  machine. 

Stock  in  the  furniture  factory  is  not  often  carried 
such  a  length  of  time  before  being  finished  because  it 
is  realized  that  the  sooner  the  finisher  follows  after 
the  jointer  the  better.  Often,  however,  it  is  necessary 
to  keep  the  stock  stored  some  time  before  it  is  put  up 
and  finished.  For  this  purpose  provision  should  be  made 
to  protect  the  stock  not  only  from  dirt  and  dust,  but 
from  sunlight  and,  in  so  far  as  it  is  practical,  from 
daylight. 

You  should  have  dark  storage  rooms  that  are  clean, 
and  preferably  dust-proof;  especially  should  you  have 
these  for  left-over  stock  that  may  come  in  useful  on  a 
future  order.  It  is  the  one  sure  way  to  keep  it  fresh, 
and  to  get  real  satisfaction  out  of  the  work. 

Above  all,  sunlight  should  be  avoided.  A  truck  load 
of  finished  stock  should  not  be  allowed  to  stand  where 
the  sun  shines  on  it  brightly.  The  sun  is  one  of  the 
greatest  bleaching  agents  and  will  take  the  life  and 


STORING 

FINISHED 

STOCK. 


STORAGE 
OUGHT  T( 
BE  DARK. 


ROOM 


322 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


FINISHING 
ROOM  A  PLACE 
OF  CONCERN. 


LAX  METHODS 
ENCOUNTERED. 


tone  out  of  wood  quicker  than  almost  anything  else 
except  the  splashing  and  dripping  of  water  on  it,  a 
thing  which  is  not  allowed  in  any  well  regulated  in¬ 
stitution. 

The  finishing  room  of  an  up-to-date  factory  is  no 
longer  a  place  of  filler  and  varnish,  but  in  reality  has 
become  a  place  of  concern.  The  numerous  new  styles 
of  furniture  carried  with  the  different  colors  peculiar 
to  each  historical  period,  and  latterly  the  scarcity  of 
native  woods,  the  introduction  of  foreign  woods,  and 
the  using  of  cheaper  woods,  together  with  some  woods 
heretofore  considered  unworthy  of  use,  have  put  upon 
the  finishing  department  a  problem  for  every  day. 

The  individuality  of  colors,  or  shades,  adopted  by 
manufacturers,  these  who  are  leaders  in  styles  and 
fashion  and  are  considered  originators,  who  thus  have 
the  prerogative  of  establishing  colors,  which  must  be 
followed  by  others,  places  upon  the  finishing  room 
the  responsibility  of  matching  these  colors  and  styles 
of  finish.  All  this  has  become  such  an  art  that  the 
foreman  of  every  factory  must  be  not  only  a  foreman, 
but,  at  the  same  time,  a  color  artist.  His  office  nowa¬ 
days  represents  a  small  laboratory. 

There  are  many  other  problems  which  confront 
the  finishing  department.  The  preparation  of  the  work, 
the  mixing  of  the  fillers,  quality,  color,  and  shade,  shel¬ 
lacs,  first  coaters,  varnishers,  waxes,  etc.,  all  call  for 
attention.  In  all  of  these  the  foreman  finisher  has  to 
consider  the  color,  quality  and  uniformity.  While 
everyone  has  his  own  way  of  judging  the  quality,  there 
are  certain  methods  and  tests  which  may  be  used  which 
we  hope  to  present  in  a  simple  manner  so  that  they  can 
be  adopted  and  employed  by  the  man  who  wants  to 
know. 

The  first  difficulty  encountered  by  the  finishing  de¬ 
partment  are  often  the  lax  methods  of  the  joining  room. 
Although  this  department,  in  recent  years,  has  received 
more  attention  than  any  other,  it  is  still  in  need  of 
radical  correction.  The  chief  fault  is  the  inattention 
in  matching.  For  instance,  it  is  not  uncommon  to  see 
a  nice  table  top  with  the  wood  laid  one  piece  up  tree  and 
the  other  down,  thus  imposing  on  the  finisher  the  task 


CARE  OF  RAW  FINISHED  STOCK 


323 


of  getting  an  even  shade  with  the  pores  running  two 
ways.  Especially  is  this  difficult  on  filled  wood.  Had 
more  care  been  taken  in  matching  the  wood,  the  finished 
product  would  have  been  enhanced  in  value. 

Here  the  finishing  department  can  work  out  its  own 
salvation  only  by  the  persistent  rejection  of  poorly 
matched  woods.  There  are  certain  methods  of  over¬ 
coming  these  poor  matches,  but  it  takes  time,  and  time 
is  money.  The  up-to-date  finisher  has  bleaches  with 
which  he  bleaches  out  a  quantity  of  sap.  He  has  alka¬ 
lies  or  acids  with  which  he  forces  his  colors  into  a 
harder  board  or  a  second  growth  piece  of  wood,  none 
of  which  can  overcome  or  match  up  to  a  piece  of  work 
which  has  been  properly  laid  together  in  a  joining 
room.  The  higher  the  grade  of  furniture  made,  the 
less  of  these  difficulties  there  are  to  be  encountered,  so 
that  the  man  who  is  turning  out  a  cheap  line  of  furni¬ 
ture  has  the  greater  color  difficulties.  But  there  are 
remedies  at  hand,  methods  for  handling  these  difficul¬ 
ties,  that  we  hope  to  offer. 

Every  finishing  department  is  called  upon  to  deliver 
different  results.  One  factory  may  turn  out  nothing 
but  dull  finishes,  with  but  an  occasional  polished  piece. 
In  a  piano  factory  it  may  be  vastly  different,  but  the 
possibility  for  any  finishing  department  to  get  a  run 
of  any  one  particular  style  of  finish  remains ;  the  ques¬ 
tion  then  is,  which  method  will  give  the  best,  quickest, 
and  most  permanent  results?  The  question  of  a  good 
rubbing  polish  is  not  the  only  proposition  to  encounter. 
The  varnish  to  be  polished  is  again  put  up  to  the  finish¬ 
ing  department.  The  varnish  that  has  been  employed 
for  years  may  fall  down;  the  polish  maj  be  blamed. 
It  is  the  intention  to  publish  a  few  hints  that  will 
alleviate  these  difficulties. 

Years  ago  colors  were  produced  from  vegetable 
extract  matter,  some  few  known  chemicals  and  gases. 
Science  now  steps  in  and  hands  us  any  amount  of 
shades  or  colors  which  can  be  applied  in  three  known 
solvents — water,  spirit  or  oil.  The  permanency  of 
some  of  these  modern  colors  exceeds  that  of  others. 
For  the  chemist  who  knows  these  preparations,  it  is  an 
easy  matter  to  produce  shades  by  the  mixing  of  the 


OVERCOMING 

POORLY 

MATCHED 

WORK. 


HINTS  FOR 

OVERCOMING 

DIFFICULTIES. 


324 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


NOVICE  HAS 
TROUBLE  IN 
PRODUCING 
SHADES. 


primary  colors  that  are  permanent.  It  then  depends 
upon  the  kind  of  color  employed  in  compounding, 
whereas  the  novice  would  encounter  all  kinds  of  diffi¬ 
culties  by  going  in  the  open  market  and  attempting  the 
production  of  colors  and  shades,  with  the  meager 
knowledge  that  at  the  present  time  is  possessed  by  the 
consumer. 

The  laboratories  of  the  up-to-date  stain  manufac¬ 
turers  are  continually  experimenting  with  the  products 
as  fast  as  they  are  produced  by  the  manufacturer  of 
colors.  Here  they  are  put  through  all  manner  of  tests. 
Not  only  are  these  laboratories  familiar  with  these 
products,  so  that  admixture  of  colors  is  done  scien¬ 
tifically,  but  their  experiences  are  invaluable  in  getting 
out  time-saving  and  money-saving  stain.  The  man 
who  is  continually  confronted  with  new  shades,  shades 
of  a  competitor  to  match,  shades  that  are  just  a  little 
different  than  his  own,  a  certain  familiarity  with  the 
stain  and  colors  which  are  offered  for  his  use  are 
requisite. 


CHAPTER  LXII. 


COST  KEEPING  IN  FINISHING. 

AN  example  for  cost  keeping  which  may  serve  the 
finisher  for  a  basis  of  obtaining  the  exact  cost 
to  finish  a  certain  piece,  was  published  in  an 
article  by  J.  W.  Withers.  It  will  give  the  foreman  a 
good  idea  of  how  to  establish  the  cost.  Take  the  time 
of  an  average  workman ;  the  cost  of  material  used  can 
be  taken  from  a  day’s  work  and  averaged. 

We  will  take  the  brush  fumed  finish  for  an  example, 
as  about  36  out  of  50  will  be  finished  this  way.  The 
prices  are  as  follows : 


Sponging . 

.$  .04 

Sanding . . . 

.  .16 

Staining  . . . 

.  .09 

Inside  and  outside 

Sanding . 

.  .19 

Shellacing . . . 

.  .08 

Inside  and  outside 

Sanding . . 

.  .15 

Shellacing . 

.  .08 

Inside  and  outside 

Shading . . 

.  .18 

Sanding . . . . 

.  .11 

Waxing  and  wiping  off... 

.  .10 

Total  . . . . ...$1.18 

The  method  used  is  to  thoroughly  dust  the  article 
and  sponge  the  surface  well  with  water,  allowing  it  to 
dry  and  then  sand  the  grain  level  with  fine  sandpaper, 
using  a  felt  block  (as  far  as  possible)  to  wrap  the 
sandpaper  around.  Then  stain.  After  drying,  it  is 
again  sanded.  Then  shellac  with  white  shellac  thinned 
to  one-half  its  ordinary  thickness  and  sand.  Then  shel¬ 
lac  the  second  time ;  then  shade  with  the  proper  aniline 
dye  dissolved  in  spirits ;  apply  with  a  small  camel’s  hair 
brush  and  blend  with  a  small  cotton  pad.  This  color 
does  for  the  touching  up  of  any  corners  that  may  be 
sanded  “white.”  After  the  shading,  the  final  sanding 
is  done.  The  shading  is  a  particular  job,  but  a  good 
man  can  work  wonders  with  white  sap  streaks,  and 


COSTS  FOR 
FINISHING. 


PROCESS  FOR 
BRUSH  FUMING. 


32G 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


PROCESS  IS 
ECONOMICAL. 


any  differences  of  color  soon  vanish  under  his  touch, 
and  a  fine,  uniform  tone  results. 

The  reason  the  shading  is  not  done  between  the 
coats  of  shellac  is  that  we  found  the  last  coat  of  shellac 
blurred  the  aniline  shading  stain,  and  a  muddy  look 
would  appear,  so  we  changed,  and  with  good  results. 

It  may  be  said,  in  connection  with  this  work,  that 
at  first  we  were  inclined  to  think  the  labor  cost  more 
than  the  material  saved  and,  in  some  cases,  it  really 
did;  but  as  the  men  grew  more  expert  at  it,  we  saved 
money.  At  the  price  quartered  oak  is  at  present,  it  pays 
to  do  it.  In  any  veneered  work  it  does  not  pay,  so  the 
sap  edges  are  always  cut  off. 


✓ 


✓ 


CHAPTER  LXIII. 


STORAGE  OF  FINISHING  MATERIALS. 

STORING  and  proper  distribution  of  finishing  sup¬ 
plies  is  accomplished  by  the  Wayne  and  Bowser 
systems.  A  familiarity  with  these  systems  will 
at  once  show  the  finisher  the  great  advantages  and 
assistance  he  has  in  the  distribution  of  the  finishing 
materials  to  the  workmen.  All  supplies  can  be  piped 
directly  to  his  office,  and  drawn  from  either  the  oil 
house  or  basement,  whichever  may  be  the  most  con¬ 
venient  place  for  storing  of  the  materials. 

Exact  record  can  be  kept ;  first,  of  the  consumption 
per  day ;  second,  of  stock  on  hand,  and  absolute  unifor- 


WAYNE  BATTERY  OF  TANKS 


mity  of  material  assured.  The  expense  of  the  installa¬ 
tion  is  made  up  by  the  saving  and  the  reduction  of 
insurance  expense. 

The  Wayne  and  Bowser  systems  are  especially  con¬ 
structed  for  storing  and  distributing  oils  in  factories. 
Heavy  steel  tanks  are  leak  and  evaporation  proof  and 


TWO  FAMILIAR 
SYSTEMS  OF 
STORING. 


328 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


SYSTEMS  OF 
BATTERY 

TANKS. 


WASTE  AND 

SLOPING 

PREYENTED. 


pumps  are  self  measuring.  They  keep  the  oils,  var¬ 
nishes,  etc.,  at  the  original  consistency,  insuring  unifor¬ 
mity,  and  practically  eliminating  fire  hazard. 

The  Wayne  and  Bowser  systems  of  battery  tanks 
make  an  ideal  arrangement  for  storing  and  handling 
oils  in  an  oil  house.  The  respective  tanks  are  always 
of  the  same  length  and  height,  varying  in  width  only 
to  make  the  desired  capacity.  When  desired,  a  barrel 
track  can  be  placed  over  the  tanks  with  a  cradle  extend¬ 
ing  to  the  floor.  The  barrel  is  rolled  onto  the  cradle 
and  raised  to  the  track  level  with  a  chain  hoist.  A 


BOWSER  "STANDARD”  OIL  STORAGE  OUTFIT 


splash  pan  prevents  slop  or  waste.  Where  volatiles 
are  to  be  stored  the  underground  system  is  used.  These 
battery  systems  require  about  35  per  cent  less  floor 
space  than  barrels  of  the  same  capacity,  and  are 
cheaper  and  more  convenient. 

Tanks  may  be  installed  singly.  Tanks  are  labeled 
with  the  name  of  the  oil  each  is  to  contain,  and  the 
pumps  lock,  making  it  impossible  for  anyone  to  obtain 
oil  without  a  key.  One  man  can  easily  handle  and 
empty  the  barrels.  The  splash  pan  prevents  waste  and 
sloping.  It  is  placed  in  position  over  the  proper  tank, 
the  bung  of  the  barrel  is  removed,  and  the  barrel  rolled 


STORAGE  OF  FINISHING  MATERIALS 


329 


over  the  pan  to  the  proper  position.  The  pan  can  be 
adjusted  easily  and  quickly. 

The  systems  provide  for  the  burying  underground, 
in  basements,  or  in  vaults,  of  tanks  from  which  oils 
may  be  pumped  throughout  the  plant  with  long-distance 
measuring  pumps.  This  is  most  economical  wdien  con¬ 
ditions  will  permit  it.  The  tanks  may  be  placed  a 
reasonable  distance  from  the  building. 

In  many  instances  oil  is  stored  in  the  various  de¬ 
partments,  as  a  means  of  saving  time  and  labor.  In 
the  Wayne  system  roll  top  cabinets  are  adapted  for 
that  purpose.  The  cabinet  is  made  of  steel  and  the  top 
closes,  making  it  dustproof.  The  measuring  pump  can 
be  adjusted  to  give  the  different  measures,  preventing 
loss  of  time  and  oil,  and  cutting  down  the  fire  hazard. 
The  cabinet  is  a  splendid  arrangement  for  handling 
turpentine,  oil,  varnishes,  etc.,  in  the  finishing  depart¬ 
ment. 

The  Bowser  safe  oil  storage  systems  provide  the 
ideal,  wasteless  way  to  handle  these  liquids  in  any  quan- 


BOWSER  SYSTEM  No.  109 


tity.  The  exact  amount  desired  is  pumped.  There  is 
no  over  measure,  no  inaccurate  measures  to  be  left 
lying  around  to  “gum  up,”  collecting  dust  and  dirt,  in¬ 
creasing  the  fire  risk  and  producing  nothing  but  loss. 
The  oils  are  kept  free  from  evaporation  and  gumming. 
The  formation  of  “foots”  and  “fats”  is  prevented.  The 
last  gallon  of  liquid  can  be  pumped  from  the  tank  in  as 
good  a  condition  as  the  first  one. 

The  Bowser  Cut  109  system  is  more  than  a  collection 
of  pumps  and  tanks.  It  puts  the  oil  room  on  a  sys- 


ROLL  TOP 
CABINETS 
FOR  OIL. 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


330 


OIL  ROOM  ON 

SYSTEMATIC 

BASIS. 


tematic  basis.  Everything  is  right  where  it  belongs. 
The  oil  room  can  be  kept  as  neat  and  clean  as  any  part 
of  the  shop  or  store.  There  is  no  increased  fire  hazard 
because  of  the  use  of  Bowser  equipment,  but  on  the 
other  hand,  the  fire  risk  is  greatly  reduced  over  old 
methods  of  storage.  The  equipment  presents  a  neat 
appearance  as  the  tanks  can  be  set  in  a  row  along  the 
side  wall  where  they  take  up  but  very  little  floor  space. 
Each  pump  is  plainly  marked  so  that  there  will  be  no 
mistakes  made  by  drawing  the  wrong  kind  of  oil.  There 


WAYNE  UNDERGROUND  STORAGE  SYSTEM 

is  less  likelihood  of  the  oil  supply  becoming  exhausted 
for  the  operator  can  tell  in  a  few  minutes  just  how 
much  liquid  is  in  any  particular  tank. 

The  distribution  of  oil  in  factory  requires  consid- 


STORAGE  OF  FINISHING  MATERIALS 


331 


erable  time  unless  special  means  are  provided.  It  is 
a  violation  of  economics  to  permit  skilled  labor  to  waste 
time  going  after  oil.  The  portable  tank  makes  this 
unnecessary.  This  tank  is  made  of  heavy  tank  steel, 
mounted  on  indestructible  steel  wheels  with  rubber 
cushion  tires  and  two  rubber-tired  guide  wheels.  It 
is  provided  with  a  self-measuring  quart  pump.  Capa¬ 
city  of  tank,  50  gallons.  The  wheels  have  steel  bearings 
which  make  the  tank  easy  to  push  about  the  factory. 
A  boy  or  unskilled  laborer  can  push  this  tank  about 
the  factory  and  deliver  oils  to  the  hands.  This  keeps 
the  skilled  labor  at  the  benches  all  the  time  and  pro¬ 
motes  shop  discipline. 


DISTRIBUTION 
OF  OIL  IN 
FACTORY. 


/ 


CHAPTER  LXIV. 


SPECIAL  HINTS  TO  ARTISANS. 

A  METHOD  of  applying  gold  leaf,  that  is  claimed 
to  eliminate  waste  is  as  follows:  Rub  a  piece 
of  tissue  paper  on  one  side  with  a  piece  of  wax 
candle  or  beeswax.  Your  paper  will  now  have  a  cer¬ 
tain  degree  of  tackiness,  enough  to  cause  the  leaf  to 
adhere.  Now  cut  this  sheet  into  squares  a  little  larger 
than  the  gold  leaf.  Regular  waxed  paper,  which  is 
used  for  doing  up  sandwiches,  lunches,  etc.,  could  also 
be  used.  Then  open  your  book,  place  the  waxed  side 
of  the  tissue  paper  on  the  gold  leaf,  gently  pressing  it. 
On  removing,  the  gold  leaf  is  attached  to  it,  rendering 
it  very  easy  to  use.  The  tissue  paper  being  transparent, 
you  can  see  just  where  you  want  to  place  it,  or  if  you 
desire,  you  can  cut  your  leaf  to  suit.  By  taking  the 
tissue  paper  in  the  left  hand,  placing  it  with  the  gold 
leaf  side  to  the  letters,  and  rubbing  the  back  lightly, 
with  the  right  hand,  the  gold  will  adhere  to  the  size, 
and  you  can  use  the  tissue  paper  over  and  over  again. 
This  is  claimed  to  have  the  old  way  of  using  the  tip 
and  cushion  beat  a  mile,  and  is  said  to  be  a  much  faster 
way  of  handling  the  leaf. 

Avoiding  “laps”  is  one  of  the  few  hard  things  for 
an  inexperienced  person  to  learn  about  painting  or 
finishing.  A  simple  remedy  for  this  trouble  is  to  re¬ 
member  that  tables,  dressers,  sideboards  or  floors  have 
natural  “breaks”  or  panels  which  should  be  finished 
one  at  a  time.  For  example,  the  side  of  a  dresser  will 
be  paneled.  Take  the  top  panel  and  paint,  enamel  or 
varnish  that  part  of  the  dresser.  Then  take  the  ad¬ 
joining  panel,  and  so  on,  until  the  entire  side  is  finished. 
Thus,  if  there  are  any  laps,  they  will  occur  where  the 
panels  are  joined  and  will  not  show. 

In  finishing  a  floor,  start  at  one  corner  and  take  two 
or  three  boards  only.  Finish  just  as  wide  a  surface  at 
a  time  as  the  arm  naturally  sweeps,  and  paint  along 
the  same  two  or  three  boards  until  the  entire  room  has 


APPLYING 
GOLD  LEAF. 


HOW  TO  AVOID 
“LAPPING." 


334 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


FINISHING  OPEN 
AND  CLOSE 
GRAIN  WOODS. 


TAKING  HEAT 
STAINS  OUT 
OF  WOOD. 


been  crossed.  Always  work  from  the  unfinished  into 
the  finished  portion,  instead  of  from  the  finished  into 
the  unfinished. 

The  following  woods  are  called  open-grained  woods : 
Walnut,  ash,  oak,  butternut,  chestnut,  mahogany,  prima 
vera  or  white  mahogany. 

All  of  these  woods  must  be  filled  with  wood  filler 
before  they  can  be  successfully  varnished.  Full  in¬ 
structions  are  given  under  the  various  headings  in  this 
book. 

Close-grained  woods  do  not  need  to  be  filled  before 
varnishing.  Some  woods  which  come  under  this  class 
are :  Pine,  birch,  cypress,  beech,  maple,  poplar  or  white- 
wood,  hemlock,  redwood,  sycamore,  cherry,  gumwood 
and  Oregon  fir. 

We  would  suggest  that  paraffine  wax  be  applied  to 
table  tops  with  a  large  brush.  The  wax  should  be 
heated  first — preferably  in  a  double  boiler,  to  avoid  the 
danger  of  burning.  In  case  the  wax  does  not  penetrate 
the  wood  satisfactorily,  the  surface  may  be  rubbed 
over  with  a  hot  iron,  which  will  melt  the  wax  and  allow 
it  to  be  absorbed  by  the  wood. 

To  take  heat  stains  out  of  wood,  take  three  or  four 
thicknesses  of  blotting  paper  and  lay  on  the  spot,  and 
place  a  hot  smoothing  iron  on  the  paper.  Have  ready 
at  hand  some  pieces  of  flannel,  also  folded  and  made 
quite  hot.  As  soon  as  the  iron  has  made  the  surface 
of  the  wood  quite  warm,  remove  the  paper  and  go  over 
the  surface  with  a  piece  of  paraffine,  rubbing  it  hard 
enough  to  leave  a  coating  of  the  substance.  Then  with 
one  of  the  pieces  of  flannel  rub  the  injured  surface. 
Continue  the  rubbing,  using  freshly  warmed  cloths 
until  the  whiteness  leaves  the  varnish  or  polish.  The 
oneration  may  have  to  be  repeated  once  or  twice,  but 
it  always  succeeds  at  last. 

The  cleansing  of  brushes  should  always  be  done 
with  the  liquid  that  was  used  for  the  solvent  in  the 
stain.  Clean  a  brush  that  was  used  in  an  oil  stain  in 
benzole  or  naphtha,  a  spirit  stain  brush  in  wood  alcohol. 
Never  use  an  alkali,  such  as  sal  soda  or  ammonia  on 
brushes.  If  this  becomes  necessary  use  a  very  weak 
solution.  To  keep  varnish  brushes  in  condition,  bore. 


SPECIAL  HINTS  TO  ARTISANS 


335 


a  hole  just  below  the  small  part  of  the  handle,  about 
one-eight  inch  in  diameter  and  suspend  the  brushes 
into  a  pail  so  that  the  hair  is  immersed  in  turpentine, 
or  some  turpentine  substitute  such  as  turpaline.  Five 
or  six  brushes  can  be  put  in  one  pail  by  suspending 
them  on  a  wire  put  through  these  holes.  A  cover  can 
be  made  with  a  slot  which  will  cover  the  pail  and  pre¬ 
vent  excessive  evaporation.  These  brushes  will  be  ready 
for  use  on  a  moment’s  notice.  They  will  always  be  in 
condition,  even  though  they  are  allowed  to  remain  a 
week  at  a  time  unused.  The  hair  of  the  brush  will 
remain  moist  as  long  as  the  bottom  of  the  brush  or  end 
of  the  hair  is  partially  immersed. 


KEEPING 
VARNISH 
BRUSHES  IN 
CONDITION. 


CHAPTER  LXV. 


BEST  PAINT  FOR  SMOKE  STACKS. 


THE  trouble  with  smoke  stack  painting  is  that  in 
most  cases  any  cheap  material  is  considered  good 
enough.  Ordinary  coal  tar  is  often  employed  or 
some  cheap  benzine  asphaltum  varnishes  in  which  rosin 
and  benzine  are  predominant  and  coal  tar  takes  the 
place  of  asphaltum.  It  should  be  considered  that  a 
smoke  stack  is  really  exposed  to  very  severe  conditions, 
having  heat  passing  through  to  the  elements  from 
without.  It  has  to  stand  sun  heat,  warm  and  cold 
rains;  the  metal  contracts  and  expands  alternately, 
and  it  is  obvious  that  only  good  elastic  material  can 
survive  for  any  length  of  time  under  these  conditions. 

The  best  paint  for  the  purpose,  therefore,  is  some¬ 
what  of  the  nature  of  a  good,  black  looking  varnish 
made  from  genuine  asphaltum,  linseed  oil  and  turpen¬ 
tine,  entirely  free  from  rosin,  coal  tar,  benzine,  etc. 
It  should  consist  of  100  pounds  of  real  gum  asphaltum, 
Cuban  or  Trinidad,  that  is  fused  in  the  kettle  with  20 
gallons  kettle-boiled  linseed  oil  and  thinned  with  from 
20  to  25  gallons  spirits  of  turpentine.  The  price  asked 
by  a  varnish  manufacturer  for  a  varnish  of  this  de¬ 
scription  may  be  considered  high,  but  its  use  will  pay 
in  the  long  run,  as  the  cost  of  labor  in  painting  a  stack 
is  the  chief  item.  This  asphaltum  varnish  will  not 
blister  if  applied  properly,  but  will  bake  on  the  metal 
as  the  heat  passes  through  the  stack,  and  it  will  prove 
elastic  enough  to  stand  all  the  conditions  that  it  is  sub¬ 
jected  to.  Figure  the  cost  of  painting  a  stack  three 
times  with  cheap  paint  and  the  cost  of  painting  it  once 
only  during  that  time  with  the  higher  priced  asphaltum 
varnish  and  note  the  difference  in  favor  of  the  latter 
method. 


SMOKE  STACK 
PAIN'T  NEEDS 
QUALITY. 


THE  BEST 
STACK  PAINT. 


CHAPTER  LXVI. 


RUBBING  AND  POLISHING  METHODS. 


THE  practical  and  universally  used  felt  pad  has 
supplanted  all  other  materials  for  rubbing  and 
polishing.  Pads  were  formerly  made  by  various 
methods,  usually  a  ball  of  soft  material  such  as  old 
rags,  or  cloths  of  many  kinds.  The  balls  were  covered 
with  heavy  woolen  cloth. 

In  earlier  days  the  furniture  factory  owners  were 
buying  rags  gathered  from  every  conceivable  source, 
clean  and  unclean.  Today  the  rags  used  in  the  modern 
factory  are  thoroughly  cleansed  and  disinfected  by 
boiling,  and  by  treatment  in  germicidal  baths,  and  then 
selected  for  their  qualifications  for  the  purposes  needed. 
Today  when  a  factory  purchases  a  bale  of  rags,  the 
disease  question  is  eliminated. 

When  stains  are  wiped,  rags  are  chiefly  employed ; 
they  are  cheaper  than  waste  and  they  do  not  leave 
threads  over  the  work. 

The  felt  pad  is  used  as  a  sanding  block,  as  well  as 
for  rubbing  and  polishing.  In  the  rubbing  down  with 
pumice  stone  or  in  the  polishing  with  rotten  stone,  the 
felt  pad  does  the  work  with  equal  satisfaction.  Some 
claim  great  qualifications  for  hair  cloth,  curled  hair, 
burlap,  steel  wool  and  excelsior.  There  are  occasions 
when  their  use  may  be  successful,  but  unless  the  artisan 
is  well  acquainted  with  the  peculiarities  of  each,  much 
damage  can  be  done  in  a  few  minutes  sufficient  to  ruin 
the  job. 

Hair  cloth  is  rare,  expensive  and  difficult  to  handle. 
It  has  a  hard  surface  and  should  be  discarded.  Curled 
hair  and  burlap  are  good  in  Mission  work;  they  take 
hold  and  will  help  to  carry  with  each  stroke  consider¬ 
able  powder  but  soon  become  matted,  and  the  time 
spent  in  keeping  such  a  pad  in  good  condition  will  buy 
good  felt.  Steel  wool  is  a  “quick  cutter,”  but  it  breaks 
up  when  trimmings  and  corners  are  encountered,  the 
little  ends  get  under  the  trimmings,  break  off  and  then 


GREAT 

ADVANCEMENT 
IN  METHODS. 


VARIOUS 

METHODS 

EMPLOYED. 


340 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


FELT  PAD  IS 
BEST  KIND 
OF  POLISHER. 


it  takes  a  pair  of  forceps  to  get  them  out.  Excelsior 
will  do  where  there  is  nothing  else,  yet  it  is  too  brittle, 
breaks  up  and  should  be  used  only  as  a  filler  for  a  pad, 
using  cloth  to  cover. 

It  will  be  found  that  none  of  the  materials  can  pro¬ 
duce  anything  like  the  results  that  the  felt  pad  can,  and 
the  artisan  who  has  not  had  experience  with  the  various 
methods  may  rest  assured  there  will  be  no  loss  by  omit¬ 
ting  their  consideration.  The  few  cases  where  burlap, 
curled  hair  or  steel  wool  may  be  recommended  would 
not  warrant  the  purchase  of  them. 

Where  rubbing  and  polishing  is  carried  on  without 
the  aid  of  machinery,  it  probably  is  the  most  physically 
strenuous  labor  in  the  finishing  department,  especially 
true  when  all  the  rubbing  is  done  by  hand  on  large  sur¬ 
faces. 

The  work  entails  the  continual  use  of  the  same 
muscles,  practically  all  in  one  position,  and  it  is  only 


MATTISON  RUBBING  MACHINE 


recently  that  labor-saving  devices  have  been  offered 
that  are  really  successful.  Rubbing  and  polishing  are 
usually  carried  on  by  the  employment  of  felt  pads. 
Where  the  work  is  water  rubbed  it  is  first  coated,  or 
rather  pumice  stone  or  rotten  stone  is  sprinkled  on 
the  work ;  this  is  wet  with  water,  and  the  rubbing  proc- 


RUBBING  AND  POLISHING  METHODS 


341 


ess  carried  on  in  distinct  straight  strokes  of  uniform 
pressure  with  the  grain.  Never  is  this  to  be  done 
crosswise.  The  motion  and  direction  of  the  stroke 
should  be  continually  the  same.  The  same  is  true  in 
oil  rubbing. 

In  the  polishing  process  the  stroke  should  be  with 
the  grain  but  toward  the  finishing  process  can  be  done 
in  a  circular  motion,  such  as  in  French  polishing.  The 
advent  of  the  rubbing  machine  has  been  welcomed  by 
many,  and  the  following  description  of  an  accredited 
device  will  give  the  finisher  a  good  idea  of  the  pos¬ 
sibilities  of  a  rubbing  machine. 

The  oscillating  shoes,  two  in  number,  carry  pads 
five  and  one-half  by  four  and  one-half  inches  in  size. 
These  pads  are  readily  detachable  by  hand;  no  tools 
are  necessary.  Various  qualities  of  felt,  as  well  as 
sandpaper,  can  be  used.  The  working  parts  are  self- 
oiling  and  the  whole  machine  is  very  quiet  running. 
It  is  equipped  with  a  cord  and  plug,  and  works  from 
any  lighting  socket.  While  not  in  actual  operation  no 
electricity  is  consumed,  as  the  switch  is  on  the  machine 
itself.  The  cost  of  current  to  operate  is  one  cent  per 
hour,  if  the  rate  you  have  for  electricity  is  four  cents 
per  kilowatt  hour. 

Wherever  the  work  is,  any  such  machine  can  be 
easily  carried  to  it,  attached  to  any  nearby  electric 
light  socket,  and  at  a  turn  of  the  switch  on  the  machine, 
the  two  felt  pads  start  oscillating  at  a  rate  of  several 
hundred  times  a  minute.  The  operator,  by  means  of 
conveniently  arranged  side  or  top  handles,  guides  the 
machine  over  the  surface  to  be  finished.  The  pads  are 
so  designed  that  every  edge  and  corner  will  be  treated 
as  well  as  the  center  of  the  surface.  The  operator  uses 
no  pressure;  the  weight  of  the  machine  is  the  right 
weight  to  produce  the  highest  grade  of  work. 

Wherever  rubbing  or  polishing  is  done  on  stone  or 
wood,  with  any  grade  of  felt  or  sandpaper,  the  machine 
shown  here  will  do  the  work  now  done  by  hand  or  by 
air  pressure,  in  a  more  efficient  and  more  economical 
way. 

The  finish  is  an  important  part  in  the  appearance — 
a  vital  part  in  the  selling  price — -and  a  large  part  of  the 


NEVER  RUB 
ACROSS  GRAIN. 


COST  IS  A 
MERE  TRIFLE. 


S42 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


EVERY  EDGE 
AND  CORNER 
REACHED. 


labor  cost.  Such  machines  as  the  one  shown  here  will 
produce  better  polish  and  materially  reduce  cost  of 
labor.  Under  the  right  conditions  they  will  do  many 
times  the  work  of  a  man,  and  are  easier  and  quicker 
to  handle  than  the  pneumatically  operated  rubbing 
machines.  In  addition  to  these  economical  advantages 
the  machines  produce  exactly  the  same  high  grade 
work  at  four  o’clock  in  the  afternoon  as  they  do  at 
nine  in  the  morning.  There  is  no  hard  labor  connected 
with  operating  this  device — all  that  is  necessary  is  for 
the  operator  to  guide  it  over  the  surface. 

A  good  pad  French  polisher  for  hand  polishing 
which  will  at  once  give  you  a  finish,  color  and  serve  to 
fill  your  scratches  on  the  woodwork  is  the  following : 

Alcohol . . . 8  ounces 

Shellac  . —-V2  ounce 

Gum  Benzoine . 14  ounce 

Poppy  Oil . !,4  ounce 

Dissolve  shellac  and  gum  in  alcohol  in  a  warm  place 
with  frequent  agitation,  and  when  cold  add  the  oil. 
Color  with  Bismark  brown  for  mahogany,  and  for 
the  brown  woods  reduce  the  Bismark  brown  and  add 
more  spirit  black.  For  Antwerp  use  black  and  orange. 


CHAPTER  LXVII. 


COMPARING  COLOR  SOLUTIONS. 

THERE  has  come  on  the  market  an  apparatus 
which  must  prove  an  immense  convenience  for 
the  foreman  finisher.  This  is  the  new  colorimeter, 

an  accurate,  compact  and 
universal  instrument  for 
comparing  the  colors  of 
solutions  in  the  minimum 
amount  of  time  and  with 
the  greatest  possible  ease. 

The  Universal  Colori¬ 
meter  is  based  upon  the 
principle  of  determining 
the  value  of  an  unknown 
solution  by  comparing  its 
color  with  that  of  a  stan¬ 
dard  solution  held  in  a 
wedge-shaped  container, 
so  that  a  depth  of  the  stan¬ 
dard  may  be  obtained  cor¬ 
responding  exactly  in  color 
with  the  color  of  the  un¬ 
known.  After  the  colors 
have  been  properly 
matched,  the  millimeter 
scale  is  read  and  the  plot- 
tedgraph  for  the  standard 
consulted.  This  graph 
shows  the  milligrams  of 
the  substance  sought  per 
the  universal  colorimeter,  cubic  centimeter  of  the  so- 

showing  OBSERVATION  SLIT,  lnHnn  tpcfprl  o-ivlno-  im 

scale,  adjustment,  etc.  lution  tested,  giving  im¬ 
mediate  result. 

The  instrument  consists  of  a  small  cell  for  the  un¬ 
known,  mounted  on  a  removable  holder,  and  a  standard 
wedge  on  a  frame  adjustable  by  rack  and  pinion  to 
secure  various  depths  of  solution  and,  consequently, 


FOR  TESTING 
SOLUTIONS. 


344 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


HOW  THE 

COLORIMETER 

OPERATES. 


color.  A  millimeter  scale  with  indicator  for  reading 
is  mounted  with  the  wedge.  There  is  a  large  window 
of  ground  glass  which  illuminates  the  field  with  prop¬ 
erly  diffused  light.  The  cell  and  the  wedge  are  so  placed 
in  relation  to  a  double  prism  as  to  give  a  field  one-half 
of  which  shows  the  color  of  the  wedge  and  the  other 
half  that  of  the  unknown  in  the  cell.  There  is  no 
separating  line  between  the  two  shades  in  the  field, 
which  is  viewed  through  a  small  slit. 


COLORIMETER  SHOWING  DOUBLE 
PRISM  WITHIN  THE  CASE :  CELL, 
WITH  MOUNTING,  FOR  SOLUTION 
UNDER  EXAMINATION. 


The  device  is  contained  in  a  compact  mahogany 
box  with  front,  back  and  interior  finished  in  dull  black. 


COMPARING  COLOR  SOLUTIONS 


345 


The  accuracy  attainable  with  this  colorimeter  will 
be  apparent  from  these  facts :  There  is  no  separating 
line  between  the  two  shades.  The  cell  and  the  wedge 
have  no  curved  surfaces.  The  readings  are  made 
through  a  small  slit.  The  standard  solution  is  abso¬ 
lutely  durable,  made  up  and  calibrated  once  for  all. 

The  saving  in  time  and  the  convenience  are  apparent 
from  the  following  features :  The  apparatus  is  always 
ready  for  use.  A  standard  solution  does  not  have  to  be 
made  up  each  time.  Readings  may  be  made  in  less  than 
one  minute.  Washing  between  different  determinations 
is  reduced  to  the  minimum.  Only  a  small  sample  is 
needed. 

The  variety  of  work  to  be  done  with  the  colorimeter 
will  determine  the  method  to  be  followed.  Many  times 
have  hours  upon  hours  been  given  to  the  matching  of 
a  stain;  whereas,  by  the  use  of  this  colorimeter,  the 
matching  problem  would  have  been  a  simple  matter. 

Again,  it  brings  us  face  to  face  with  the  progress 
of  the  scientific  world  and  shows  us  how  science  aids 
the  artisan  if  he  will  but  equip  himself.  It  shows 
the  foreman  where  it  will  be  to  his  advantage  to  know 
the  metric  system  of  weights  and  measures— the  many 
ways  that  this  little  instrument  can  be  employed  in  the 
color  work  in  preparing  stains  will  be  self-evident  from 
the  description  given.  Accuracy  is  an  important  factor 
in  the  fixing  of  colors,  and  if  this  can  be  accomplished 
by  a  mathematical  and  scientific  method,  as  claimed,  a 
distinct  gain  has  been  made. 


HOW  SCIENCE 
AIDS  THE 
ARTISAN. 


CHAPTER  LXVIII. 


WEIGHTS  AND  MEASURES. 


THE  preparation  of  a  stain,  whether  it  be  a  water 
stain,  a  spirit  stain,  oil  stain,  or  any  kind  of  a 
stain,  depends  first  upon  the  uniformity  of  the 
product  to  be  employed  and,  secondly,  upon  accuracy 
in  figuring  the  quantities  for  each  batch.  The  careful 
operator,  after  he  has  established  a  formula,  will  take 
especial  care  not  to  vary  in  the  least  from  the  success¬ 
ful  formula.  It  is  better  to  make  several  batches  than 
to  make  a  multiple,  and  that  I  may  be  thoroughly 
understood,  let  me  say  that  in  this  country  several 
kinds  of  weights  are  employed  and  one  may  unwittingly 
ruin  a  batch  of  stain  by  the  simple  doubling  or  tripling 
of  the  quantity.  This  is  due  to  the  various  kinds  of 
weights  having  a  different  number  of  ounces,  different 
number  of  grains  to  the  ounce. 

In  purchasing  a  scale,  you  may  have  dram  weights 
which  have  60  grains  to  the  dram.  Now,  eight 
drams  should  make  the  ounce,  or  480  grains,  but  you 
will  find  that  many  of  the  ounces  furnished  with  scales 
have  only  4371/4  grains.  The  larger  your  formula,  the 
farther  off  your  color  will  get.  Above  all  things,  know 
what  your  scales  are  made  out  of  as  far  as  the  weights 
are  concerned,  and  build  your  formulas  on  the  weights 
that  you  are  using.  But,  better  than  all  is  the  adoption 
of  the  metric  system  which  is  employed  in  all  the 
European  countries.  It  is  not  to  be  expected  that 
every  foreman  finisher  is  acquainted  with  the  different 
points  relative  to  the  weights  and  measures,  especially 
in  this  country,  where  there  is  no  telling  which  kind  of 
weights  or  measures  the  writer  of  a  formula  is  refer¬ 
ring  to.  While  we  have  the  conventional  gallon,  and 
the  trade  ounce,  very  few  know  that  chemicals  are  sold 
with  4371/4  grains  to  the  ounce,  whereas,  most  for¬ 
mulas  are  built  up  by  the  use  of  480  grains  to  the 
ounce.  The  metric  system  of  weights  and  measures 
alike,  on  the  other  hand,  for  simplicity’s  sake,  can  be 


ACCURACY  A 

PRIME 

REQUISITE. 


COXFUSIOX  OF 

SEVERAL 

STANDARDS. 


348 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


METRIC  SYSTEM 
SIMPLE 


WEIGHTS 
SHOULD  BE 
STAMPED. 


likened  to  our  dollar.  For  example,  a  hundredth  part 
of  a  dollar  is  a  cent,  a  tenth  is  ten  cents,  and  ten  times 
ten  make  our  dollar.  The  metric  system  is  identical 
with  this,  differing  only  in  the  number  of  divisions,  the 
smallest  division  being  in  thousandths  in  place  of  hun¬ 
dredths.  To  still  further  explain  this,  the  unit  is  a 
gram,  and  its  divisions  are  thousandths,  hundredths, 
and  tenths,  known  as  millimeters,  centimeters  and  deci¬ 
meters.  The  difference  between  the  weights  and  meas¬ 
ures  is  only  that  one  is  grams,  and  the  other  is  cubic 
centimeters.  The  advantage  of  any  finishing  room 
adopting  these  measures  will  immediately  be  apparent 
after  they  are  in  use.  It  is  only  the  fear  of  making  a 
change  that  causes  many  of  the  users  of  the  old  system 
to  adhere  to  it. 

It  is  unfortunate  that,  through  usage,  we  are  using 
in  this  country  a  conglomeration  of  weights  and  meas¬ 
ures.  This  is  due  to  the  fact  that,  being  a  new  country, 
we  had  to  rely  upon  the  old  countries  first  for  supplies 
and  then  for  methods.  In  other  countries  it  had  been 
found  that  a  universal  unit  was  absolutely  essential, 
and  thus  the  adoption  of  the  metric  (decimal)  systems. 
This  has  been  adopted  by  the  scientific  laboratories,  the 
chemical  manufacturers  and  scientists.  The  drug  man¬ 
ufacturers  and  apothecaries  have  their  text-books 
which  give  both  metric  and  apothecary  weights  and 
measures. 

A  more  bungling  mess  is  hard  to  find  than  a  pair 
of  scales  with  weights — the  weights  having  nothing  to 
indicate  what  standard  they  are  based  upon.  Were 
these  stamped  troy  or  avoirdupois  or  apothecary,  it 
would  then  be  easy  to  figure  out  the  amount  of  grains 
or  units.  A  dealer  often  cannot  tell  you  what  kind  he 
is  supplying. 

We  have  gone  along  in  this  way  because,  in  many 
cases,  it  made  little  difference.  But  when  one  seeks  to 
use  formulas,  the  result  of  which  depends  upon  accurate 
weighing,  we  should  at  least  use  the  same  weights  as 
did  the  man  who  made  the  formula. 

A  complete  tabulation  follows.  A  careful  study  and 
comparison  will  show  the  differences.  It  will  show  the 
necessity  of  knowing  what  kind  of  weights  you  have. 


WEIGHTS  AND  MEASURES 


349 


Some  day  we  will  have  the  decimal  system  estab¬ 
lished  in  this  country.  The  schools  have  been  teaching 
it  for  the  past  30  years,  but  it  is  only  lately  that  the 
pupil  has  been  impressed  with  the  value  and  absolute 
necessity  of  it  being  understood  thoroughly. 

If  the  foreman  finisher  would  adopt  the  metric  sys¬ 
tem,  to  begin  with,  let  him  imagine  it  to  be  just  like 
our  coinage— calling  the  unit  1.  If  he  takes  one-tenth 
part,  its  decimal  is  one,  or  .1 ;  if  he  takes  ten  times  the 
unit,  it  would  be  ten  decimals,  10.  Applying  himself 
to  this  thought— calling  his  units  parts— he  will  shortly 
be  able  to  write  his  formula  about  as  follows : 


Nigrosine  A  .. . 10. 

Orange  U . 1. 

Acid  Green . 1 

Picric  Acid . . . 5 

Water  . . . 1000. — 


which  would  mean,  to  him,  ten  parts  of  nigrosine,  one 
part  of  orange,  one-tenth  part  acid  green,  etc.,  and 
1,000  parts  of  water.  Now,  if  he  calls  a  part  a  dram 
(or  60  grains),  it  would  be  easy  until  he  comes  to 
weighing  one-tenth  of  a  dram.  But  he  would  have  to 
know  the  number  of  grains  to  the  dram.  If  60,  then 
the  tenth  part  is  six  grains.  If,  on  the  other  hand, 
he  uses  the  metric  system,  he  would  have  to  select  only 
the  desired  weights. 

It  is  mainly  because  we  are  all  generally  under  the 
impression  that  the  metric  system  is  something  fierce 
to  master  that  wTe  avoid  it.  On  the  other  hand,  pub¬ 
lishers  of  formulas  feel  that  the  people  avoid  any  for¬ 
mula  given  in  the  metric  system  and,  therefore,  con¬ 
tinue  in  the  old  rut. 

Following  is  the  schedule  of  weights  and  measures 
referred  to : 


U.  S.  Weights  and  Measures  According  to  Existing 
Standards 

TROY  WEIGHT 


Pound 

Ounces 

Pennyweights 

Grains 

Grams 

1 

12 

=  240  = 

5,760 

— 

373.24 

1 

—  20  = 

480 

— 

31.10 

1  = 

24 

== 

1.56 

APPLICATION 
OF  METRIC 
SYSTEM. 


TOO  MANY 
ARE  AFRAID  OF 
METRIC  SYSTEM. 


350 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


APOTHECARIES’  WEIGHT 

Pound  Ounces 

Drams 

Scruples 

Grains 

Grams 

1  =  12 

=  96  = 

288  — 

5,760 

— 

373.24 

1 

=  8  = 

24  = 

480 

31.10 

1  = 

3  = 

60 

— 

3.89 

1  = 

20 

= 

1.30 

The  pound. 

1 

— 

.06 

ounce,  and  grain 

are  the  same  as 

in  Troy 

weight. 

AVOIRDUPOIS  WEIGHT 

Pound 

Ounces 

Drams 

Grains  (Troy) 

Grams 

1 

=  16 

=  256 

7,000 

453.60 

1 

=  16 

437.5 

28.35 

1 

21 :  = 

1.77 

APOTHECARIES’ 

WEIGHT 

20 

Grains 

=  1  Scruple 

—  20  Grains 

3 

Scruples 

=  1  Dram 

=  60  Grains 

8 

Drams 

1  Ounce 

=  480  Grains 

12 

Ounces 

=  1  Pound 

=  5,760  Grains  - 

FLUID  MEASURE 


60  Minims  — 

8  Drams  = 

16  Ounces  r=z 

8  Pints  = 

The  above  weights  are  usually  adopted 
All  chemicals  are  usually  sold  by 


1  Fluid  Dram 
1  Fluid  Ounce 
1  Pint 
1  Gallon 
in  formulas. 


AVOIRDUPOIS  WEIGHT 


27 

11-32  Grains 

==  1  Dram  =r 

27  11-32  Grains 

16 

Drams 

=  1  Ounce  = 

437  V 

>  Grains 

16 

Ounces 

=  1  Pound  = 

7,000 

Grains 

recious 

metals  are  usually  sold  by 

TROY  WEIGHT 

24 

Grains 

=  1  Pennyweight 

=  24 

Grains 

20 

Pennyweights 

—  1  Ounce 

=  480 

Grains 

12 

Ounces 

=  1  Pound 

=  5,760 

Grains 

NOTE. — An  ounce  of  metallic  silver  contains  480  grains,  but  an  ounce  of 
nitrate  of  silver  contains  only  437 grains. 


VOLUME— LIQUID 


4  gills  =:  1  pint 

Gills 

Pints 

Gallon 

Cub.  In. 

2  pints  =:  1  quart 

4  quarts  —  1  gallon 

32  = 

8 

— 

1 

— 

231 

EQUIVALENTS  OF  FLUID  MEASURE  IN  METRIC 


Gallon  Pints 

Ounces 

Drams 

Minims 

Cubic  Centimeters 

1  =  8 

=  128 

1,024  = 

61,440 

=  3,785.435 

1 

•  = 

128  = 

7,680 

473.179 

1  = 

8  = 

480 

29.574 

1  = 

60 

=  3.697 

16  ounces,  or  a  pint,  is  sometimes  called  a  fluid  pound. 


UNITED  STATES  FLUID  MEASURE 


Gal.  Pints 

Ounces 

Drams 

Mins. 

Cub.  In. 

Grains 

Cub.  C.M. 

1  =  8  = 

-  128  = 

1,024  = 

61,440  = 

:  231. 

— 

58,328.886 

=  3,785.44 

1  = 

=  16  = 

128  = 

7,680  = 

28.875 

— 

7,291.1107 

=  473.18 

1  = 

8  = 

480  = 

1.8047 

= 

455.6944 

=  29.57 

1  = 

60  = 

0.2256 

= 

56.9618 

=  3.70 

IMPERIAL 

BRITISH 

FLUID  MEASURE 

Gal.  Pints 

Ounces 

Drams 

Mins. 

Cub.  In. 

Grains 

Cub.  C.M. 

1  =  8  = 

:  160  = 

1,280  = 

76,800  = 

277.27384 

70,000 

=  4,543.732 

1  = 

=  20  = 

160 

9,600  = 

34.65923 

= 

8,750 

=  567.966 

1  = 

•  = 

480  = 

1.73296 

437.5 

=  28.398 

1  = 

60  = 

0.21662 

= 

54.69 

=  3.550 

WEIGHTS  AND  MEASURES 


351 


THE  CONVERSION  OF  FRENCH  (METRIC)  INTO  ENGLISH  MEASURE 


1 

cubic 

cent.meter 

— 

17 

minims 

2 

cubic 

centimeters 

= 

34 

minims 

3 

cubic 

centimeters 

— 

51 

minims 

4 

cubic 

centimeters 

— 

68 

minims 

or 

i 

dram 

8 

minims 

5 

cubic 

centimeters 

= 

85 

minims 

or 

i 

dram 

25 

minims 

6 

cubic 

centimeters 

= 

101 

minims 

or 

i 

dram 

41 

minims 

7 

cubic 

centimeters 

= 

118 

minims 

or 

i 

dram 

58 

minims 

8 

cubic 

centimeters 

= 

135 

minims 

or 

2 

drams 

15 

minims 

9 

cubic 

centimeters 

= 

152 

minims 

or 

2 

drams 

32 

minims 

10 

cubic 

centimeters 

169 

minims 

or 

2 

drams 

49 

minims 

20 

cubic 

centimeters 

=: 

338 

minims 

or 

5 

drams 

38 

minims 

30 

cubic 

centimeters 

= 

507 

minims 

or 

1 

ounce 

0 

dram  27 

minims 

40 

cubic 

centimeters 

— 

676 

minims 

or 

1 

ounce 

3 

drams  16 

minims 

50 

cubic 

centimeters 

845 

minims 

or 

1 

ounce 

6 

drams  5 

minims 

60 

cubic 

centimeters 

= 

1014 

minims 

or 

2 

ounces 

0 

dram  54 

minims 

70 

cubic 

centimeters 

= 

1183 

minims 

or 

2 

ounces 

3 

drams  43 

minims 

80 

cubic 

centimeters 

= 

1352 

minims 

or 

2 

ounces 

6 

drams  32 

minims 

90 

cubic 

centimeters 

= 

1521 

minims 

or 

3 

ounces 

1 

dram  21 

minims 

100 

cubic 

centimeters 

T= 

1690 

minims 

or 

3 

ounces 

4 

drams  10 

minims 

1000 

cubic 

centimeters 

=: 

1  liter  =  34 

fluid 

ounces 

nearly,  or  2x/&  pints. 

THE  CONVERSION  OF  FRENCH  (METRIC)  INTO  ENGLISH  WEIGHT 


The  following-  table,  which  contains  no  error  greater  than  one-tenth  of  a 
grain,  will  suffice  for  most  practical  purposes  : 


i 

gram 

= 

15% 

grains. 

2 

grams 

= 

30% 

grains. 

3 

grams 

=: 

46% 

grains. 

4 

grams 

= 

61% 

grains . 

i 

dram 

i% 

grain 

5 

grams 

— 

77% 

grains . 

i 

dram 

17% 

grains 

6 

grams 

= 

92% 

grains.  . . 

i 

dram 

32% 

grains 

7 

grams 

: 

108 

grains . 

.  .or 

i 

dram 

48 

grains 

8 

grams 

=: 

123% 

grains . . . .  .  .  . 

2 

drams 

3% 

grains 

9 

grams 

= 

138% 

grains. . 

.  .or 

2 

drams 

18% 

grains 

10 

grams 

= 

154% 

grains . 

2 

drams 

34% 

grains 

11 

grams 

== 

169% 

grains . . . 

. .  or 

2 

drams 

49% 

grains 

12 

grams 

= 

185% 

grains. . . . 

.  .or 

3 

drams 

5% 

grains 

13 

grams 

=: 

200% 

grains. . . 

3 

drams 

20% 

grains 

14 

grams 

— 

216 

grains . . . 

.  .or 

3 

drams 

36 

grains 

15 

grams 

= 

231% 

grains . 

3 

drams 

51% 

grains 

16 

grams 

= 

247 

grains . 

4 

drams 

7 

grains 

17 

grams 

= 

262% 

grains . 

4 

drams 

22% 

grains 

18 

grams 

— 

277% 

grains . 

4 

drams 

37% 

grains 

19 

grams 

=HI 

293% 

grains . . . 

.  .or 

4 

drams 

53% 

grains 

20 

grams 

=1 

308% 

grains . 

5 

drams 

8% 

grains 

30 

grams 

463 

grains . 

1 

drams 

43 

grains 

40 

grams 

= 

617% 

grains . 

.  .or 

10 

drams 

17% 

grains 

50 

grams 

= 

771% 

grains . 

12 

drams 

51% 

grains 

60 

grams 

= 

926 

grains . . . 

.  .or 

15 

drams 

26 

grains 

70 

grams 

= 

1080% 

grains . 

18 

drams 

0% 

grain 

80 

grams 

= 

1234% 

grains . . 

20 

drams 

34% 

grains 

90 

grams 

1389 

grains . 

.  .or 

23 

drams 

9 

grains 

100 

grams 

= 

1543% 

grains . 

.  .or 

25 

drams 

43% 

grains 

1000 

grams 

= 

1  kilogram  =  32  cz.,  1  dr.,  12%  gr. 

Metric  System  of  Weights  and  Measures 


MEASURES  OF  VOLUME 


Denominations 

and  Values 

Equivalents  in  Use 

Names 

No.  of 
Liters 

Cubic  Measures 

Dry  Measure 

Wine  Measure 

Kiloiiter 

or  stere .  . . 

1,000 

1  cu.  meter 

1,308  cu.  yards 

264.17  gallons 

Hectoliter.  .  . 

100 

1  10th  cu.  meter 

2  bu.and3.35 

26.417  gallons 

Dekaliter.  . . . 

10 

10  cu.  decimeters 

pecks 

9.08  quarts 

2.6417  gallons 

Liter . 

1 

1  cu.  decimeter 

.908  quart 

1.0567  quarts 

Deciliter. . . . 

1-10 

1  10th  cu.  decimeter 

6.1023  cu.  inches 

.845  gill 

Centiliter .  .  . 

1-100 

10  cu.  centimeters 

.6102  cu.  inch 

.338  fluid  oz. 

Milliliter.  .  . . 

1-1000 

1  cu.  centimeter 

.061  cu.  inch 

.27  fl.  drm. 

352  PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


WEIGHTS 

Denominations  and 

Values 

Equivalents 

in  Use 

Number  Weight  of  Volume  of  Water  Avoirdupois 

of  Grams  at  its  Maximum  Density  Weight 

Millier  or  Tonneau.  .  . . 

Quintal . 

Myriagram . 

Kilogram  or  Kilo . 

Hectogram . 

Dekagram . 

Gram . 

Decigram . 

Centigram . 

Milligram . 

1,000,000 

100,000 

10,000 

1,000 

100 

10 

1 

1-10 

1-100 

1-1000 

1  cu.  meter 

1  hectoliter 

10  liters 

1  liter 

1  deciliter 
#  10  cu.  cent’rs. 

1  cu.  cen. 

l-10th  of  a  cu.  cen. 
10  cu.  mill’rs. 

1  cu.  mill’r. 

2204.6  pounds 

220.46  pounds 
22.046  pounds 
2.2046  pounds 
3.5274  ounces 
.3527  ounce 
15.432  grains. 
1.5432  grain 
.1543  grain 
.0154  grain 

For  measuring  surfaces,  the  square  dekameter  is  used  under  the  term  of 
Are  ;  the  hectare,  or  100  ares,  is  equal  to  about  21/*>  acres.  The  unit  of  capacity 
is  the  cubic  decimeter  or  Liter,  and  the  series  of  measures  is  formed  in  the 
same  way  as  in  the  case  of  the  table  of  length.  The  cubic  meter  is  the  unit  of 
measure  for  solid  bodies  and  is  termed  Stere.  The  unit  of  weight  is  the  Gram 
which  is  the  weight  of  one  cubic  centimeter  of  pure  water  weighed  in  a  vacuum 
at  the  temperature  of  4  deg.  Cent,  or  39.2  deg.  Fahr.,  which  is  about  its  tem¬ 
perature  of  maximum  density.  In  practice,  the  term  cubic  centimeter,  abbre¬ 
viated  c.  c.,  is  generally  used  instead  of  milliliter,  and  cubic  meter  instead  of 
kiloliter. 


CHAPTER  LXIX. 


STAIN  FORMULAS. 

THE  following  formulas  have  been  given  in  ma¬ 
terials  of  uniform  strength  which  can  be  found 
in  the  market.  It  must  be  realized  that  the  entire 
value  of  stain  formulas  depends  upon  the  uniformity 
of  the  ingredients  used,  a  uniformity  that  extends  into 
the  percentage  of  color- value  of  the  aniline  employed. 

The  formulas  given  will  produce  the  correct  con¬ 
ventional  shade  and  method  of  finish.  It,  therefore, 
will  be  seen  that  any  material  difference  in  the  color- 
value  or  shade  of  an  aniline  employed  will  not  attain 
these  results.  Realizing  that  there  may  be  occasional 
difficulty  in  obtaining  colors  identical  with  those  em¬ 
ployed  in  the  production  of  these  formulas,  the  pub¬ 
lishers  have  arranged  to  furnish  gratis,  upon  receipt 
of  sufficient  return  postage,  sample  of  such  color  that 
will  enable  the  artisan  to  compare  materials  at  hand 
and  to  provide  himself  with  identical  goods.  Note 
final  chapter. 

ANTIQUE  MAHOGANY. 


FORMULA: 

Mahogany  Brown  . : . 2  ounces 

Mahogany  Red . 1  ounce 

Potassium  Bichromate  . .%  ounce 

Water  . . 1  gallon 

DIRECTIONS: 


Apply  two  coats  and  proceed  in  the  usual  manner  with 
the  finish.  Color  of  filler  usually  very  dark.  Under 
“Antique”  we  have  many  shades,  all  of  which  can  be 
produced  from  above  ingredients. 

AUSTRIAN  OAK. 

Austrian  oak,  like  Hungarian  oak,  is  not  a  general  finish,  the 
procedure  being  the  same  as  for  producing  Baronial  oak. 


354 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


ANTWERP  OIL  STAIN. 


FORMULA: 

Oil  Black . 4  ounces 

Oil  Yellow  (light) . 6  drams 

Oil  Red  (bright) . 80  grains 

Boiled  Oil  . 1  pint 

Turpentine  . 1  pint 

Naphtha  . 1  gallon 

DIRECTIONS: 


Cut  the  color  material  in  the  turpentine  by  heating  on  a 
water  bath,  then  add  the  oil.  When  cool  add  naphtha, 
using  same  to  rinse  dish  in  which  original  solution  was 
made.  One  coat  of  this  followed  with  a  coat  of  white  shel¬ 
lac.  Filler  to  be  black  and  put  over  the  shellac  coat.  Then 
give  a  second  coat  of  shellac  and  two  coats  of  white  var¬ 
nish.  Rub  flat. 

BARONIAL  OAK  “A.” 


FORMULA: 

Brown  Mahogany  Stain  Powder . %  ounce 

Jet  Black  Nigrosine . 30  grains 

Walnut  Crystals  Powdered . 30  grains 

Bichromate  of  Potash . 1  dram 

Water  . 1  gallon 

DIRECTIONS: 


Dissolve  stain  powders  in  warm  water  and  apply  first 
coat  freely.  This  coat  may  constitute  the  sponging  coat. 
Sand  smoothly  and  apply  second  coat  of  same  stain.  Do 
not  sand  this  coat  but  give  a  good  coating  of  white  shel¬ 
lac,  or  if  preferred,  white  japan.  When  dry,  wax.  This 
finish  is  not  filled. 

BARONIAL  OAK  “B.” 


FORMULA: 

Brown  Mahogany  Stain  Powder . 1  ounce 

Nigrosine  Jet  Black . 1  dram 

Bichromate  of  Potash . 1  dram 

Water  . 1  gallon 

DIRECTIONS: 


Dissolve  stain  powder  and  after  the  wood  is  sponged, 
apply  stain.  Do  not  wipe  but  see  that  same  is  well 
brushed  out.  When  dry  sand  lightly  and  then  coat  with 
white  shellac,  and  sand  with  00  sandpaper.  Give  two 
coats  of  some  good  flat  varnish  or  wax. 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


ANTWERP  OAK. 

FORMULA: 

Potassium  Bichromate,  powdered . 1  part 

Sap  Brown,  powdered .  4  parts 

Jet  Black  Nigrosine . _ .  4  parts 

Napthol  Black  . %  part 

Each  part  may  represent  a  dram,  an  ounce,  or  a  pound, 

depending  upon  the  quantity  of  stain  desired. 

YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


355 


BELGIAN  OAK. 


FORMULA: 

Walnut  Brown  Crystals,  ground . 4  ounces 

Bichromate  of  Potash . 1  ounce 

Nigrosine  Jet  Black . 4  ounces 

Naphthol  Black  . . — - . Vi  ounce 

Mahogany  Brown  . Vi  ounce 

Water  . . 1  gallon 

DIRECTIONS: 


Dissolve  powders  in  hot  water.  Apply  first  coat,  sanding 
same  without  cutting  through  stain  coat.  Then  give 
second  coat  of  stain  and  when  dry,  without  sanding, 
apply  solution  of  oil  black  made  by  cutting  one  ounce  of 
oil  black  aniline  in  one  quart  of  white  japan.  This  can 
be  best  accomplished  by  heating  turpentine  on  a  water 
bath  and  in  it  dissolving  the  oil  black.  Then  while  warm 
add  to  the  japan.  When  this  black  coat  is  thoroughly 
dry,  wax. 


BOG  OAK. 

FORMULA: 

Sap  Brown  or  Walnut  Brown . . . . . 1  ounce 

Bichromate  of  Potash . . . . . ....2  drams 

Nigrosine  Jet  Black . . . . . 1  ounce 

Mahogany  Brown  Stain  Powder . 1  dram 

Water . . . .4  gallons 

DIRECTIONS: 


Apply  first  coat  of  stain,  throughly  brushing  well  into 
wood.  Sand  well,  and  apply  second  coat  but  do  not  sand 
second  coat.  Fill  with  dark  filler  colored  by  using  two 
part  of  Van  Dyke  brown  and  one  part  of  drop  black. 

BUTLER  OAK. 


FIRST  COAT  FORMULA: 

Catechu  . Vi  pound 

Lye  . Vi  pound 

Water  . . 2  gallons 

SECOND  COAT  FORMULA: 

Black  P.  B.... . ....135  grains 

Naphthol  Yellow  . 12  grains 

Water  . . 1  gallon 

DIRECTIONS: 


After  preparing  first  coat  as  per  formula,  use  one  ounce 


356 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


of  the  solution  to  ten  ounces  of  water.  With  this  stain 
the  wood,  sand  and  apply  second  coat.  Then  fill  with  a 
black  filler,  this  to  be  a  natural  filler  colored  with  drop 
black  in  oil.  Shellac  using  white  shellac,  sand  lightly  and 
give  two  coats  of  light  varnish.  Rub  dull  with  oil.  For 
Butler  oak,  nothing  serves  better  than  an  oil  rub  finish. 

CATHEDRAL  OAK  (Old). 


FIRST  COAT  FORMULA: 

Bichromate  of  Potash . 2  drams 

Naphthol  Yellow  . 1  dram 

Water . 1  gallon 

SECOND  COAT  FORMULA: 

Bichromate  of  Potash . 1  dram 

Sap  Brown  or  Walnut  Crystals . 4  drams 

Jet  Black  Nigrosine . 4  drams 

Naphthalene  Black  . %  dram 

Water  . 4  gallons 

DIRECTIONS: 


Apply  first  coat  freely.  This  may  also  constitute  the 
sponging  coat.  Sand  carefully  and  apply  second  coat. 
Shellac  and  varnish,  rub  dull  to  dead  finish. 

CATHEDRAL  OAK  (New). 


FORMULA: 

Sap  Brown  or  Walnut  Crystals . 2  ounces 

Black  P.  B . M  ounce 

Naphthol  Scarlet  . 15  grains 

Bichromate  of  Potash . 1  dram 

Water . 3  quarts 

DIRECTIONS: 


For  the  first  coat,  which  may  also  be  the  sponging  coat, 
dissolve  two  drams  of  Lewis’  or  Babbitt’s  lye,  or  car¬ 
bonate  of  potash,  in  a  gallon  of  water.  Then  when  dry, 
sand  carefully.  Apply  stain  when  dry  and  see  that  work 
is  well  smoothed.  Then  apply  solution  made  of  three 
parts  boiled  oil,  one  part  asphaltum  varnish,  six  parts 
naphtha.  Clean  and  rub  dry  with  rags  or  waste.  The 
next  day  shellac  and  wax. 

CHERRY  STAIN  ON  BIRCH. 


FORMULA: 

Mahogany  Brown  . 2%  ounces 

Naphthol  Scarlet . 1  ounce 

Potassium  Bichromate  . %  ounce 

Water . 8  gallons 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


357 


DIRECTIONS: 

Prepare  the  work  in  usual  manner,  that  is,  as  if  stain  is 
to  be  used  on  cherry  wood  and  apply  the  stain,  wiping  it 
off.  If  on  birch,  maple  or  other  substitute  woods,  apply 
thoroughly  and  brush  out  well.  No  filler  is  required. 
Little  grain  will  be  raised.  On  high  grade  work  sand 
before  shellacing.  On  fixtures,  etc.,  do  this  after  the 
shellac  coat  has  been  applied.  Use  equal  parts  of  white 
and  orange  shellac.  Finish  as  required. 


CHERRY  STAIN  ON  PINE. 


FORMULA: 

Mahogany  Brown  . 2  ounces 

Naphthol  Scarlet . 10  ounces 

Potassium  Bichromate  . 1  ounce 

Water  . . ...6  gallons 

DIRECTIONS: 


This  will  produce  a  good  penetrating  cherry  stain  devoid 
of  that  scarlet  shade  which  is  often  found  in  prepared 
cherry  stains  and  absolutely  incorrect.  The  sanding  can 
be  done  after  the  shellac  coat  has  been  applied. 


CHIPPENDALE  ACID  STAIN. 


FORMULA: 

Black  P.  B . 1  ounce 

Bichromate  of  potash . . . 2  ounces 

Mahogany  Red  . . . . 60  grams 

Water  . . . . . . 3  gallons 

DIRECTIONS: 


Give  one  coat  of  stain  filler  colored  with  Van  Dyke,  burnt 
sienna  and  rose  pink.  Hold  to  a  decided  brown  shade. 
Use  brown  shellac  and  white  or  very  light  colored  varnish. 


CHINESE  TEAK. 

FIRST  COAT  FORMULA: 

Mahogany  Red  Stain  Powder . 4  ounces 

Naphthol  Yellow... . 1  ounce 

Potassium  Bichromate. . . . %  ounce 

Water  . . .3  gallons 

SECOND  COAT  FORMULA: 

Antwerp  Stain  Powder  (1st  formula) . 4  ounces 

Water . . . . . . . . . 1  gallon 


858 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


DIRECTIONS: 

Apply  the  first  coat  as  prepared  according  to  the  above 
formula,  and  when  dry,  sand  the  work  thoroughly.  Then 
apply  the  second  coat,  but  do  not  sand. 

Fill  with  a  filler  which  has  been  colored  so  it  has  almost 
a  black  appearance  with  three-fourths  part  of  drop  black, 
ground  in  oil,  and  one-fourth  part  Van  Dyke  brown, 
ground  in  oil.  Clean  the  filler  off  well,  and  give  one  coat 


DUTCH  BROWN  OAK. 


FIRST  COAT  FORMULA: 

Mahogany  Red  Stain  Powder . 4  ounces 

Naphthol  Yellow . 2  ounces 

Potassium  Bichromate . 1  ounce 

Water  . , . 3  gallons 

SECOND  COAT  FORMULA: 

Ground  Walnut  Crystals . 6  ounces 

Mahogany  Brown  Stain  Powder . 5  ounces 

Water . 2  gallons 

DIRECTIONS: 


Dissolve  the  first  coat  in  the  water.  This  may  be  applied 
freely,  and  thus  serve  as  the  sponging  coat,  as  well  as  the 
first  stain  coat.  Sand  down  thoroughly,  then  apply  the 
second  coat.  In  preparing  the  second  coat,  boiling  water 
should  be  used,  and  the  stain  allowed  to  cool  and  settle. 
Then  pour  off  the  clear  liquid,  and  strain  the  last  liquor 
through  a  few  folds  of  cheese  cloth.  Apply  and  sand  very 
lightly.  Fill  with  a  filler  colored  quite  dark  with  Van 
Dyke  brown,  ground  in  oil.  Shellac,  varnish  and  rub  dull. 
If  a  cheaper  finish  is  desired,  three  coats  of  flat  finish 
may  be  used. 

DRIFT  WOOD  (Old  Method). 


FORMULA: 

Unslacked  Lime . 5  pounds 

Water  . . . 2  gallons 


DIRECTIONS: 

After  the  lime  has  slacked,  pour  off  clear  liquid  and  give 
the  work  a  thorough  sponging.  Smooth  down  with  sand¬ 
paper  and  coat  with  wax  into  which  is  sifted  carbonate 
of  zinc  and  just  enough  dry  drop  black  to  give  a  slight 
gray  tone.  The  wax  should  be  thin  so  as  to  spread  easily, 
to  be  rubbed  well  out.  When  dry,  give  second  coat  of  wax. 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


359 


DRIFT  WOOD  (New  Method). 


FORMULA: 

Sulphate  of  Iron  dried . 60  grains 

Black  P.  B,.... . M  ounce 

Oxalic  acid . 60  grains 

Water  . . .........3  gallons 

DIRECTIONS: 


To  prepare  drift  wood  finish  (usually  on  oak)  omit  the 
sponging  coat,  using  the  stain  on  the  sanded  work.  After 
the  stain  has  stood  12  hours  in  a  well  ventilated  room, 
sand  down  well.  Put  a  small  amount  of  zinc  white  in  the 
wax,  just  enough  to  give  the  pores  a  grayish  tint,  but  not 
to  fill  them.  Then  a  second  coat  of  wax  which  is  rubbed 
to  polish. 

EARLY  ENGLISH  (Windsor). 

FORMULA: 

Picric  acid . 4  ounces 

Nigrosine  Jet  Black,  H.  &  M . . . 6%  pounds 

Mahogany  Brown  . . . ....1%  pounds 

Of  this  powder,  usually  three  ounces  to  the  gallon  of  water 
produces  the  shade  desired.  Finishing  procedure  same  as  above, 
although  many  makers  add  a  little  Van  Dyke  brown  to  their 
filler. 


EARLY  ENGLISH  (Spirit  Stain). 

FORMULA: 

Spirit  Black . 4  ounces 

Auramine  . %  ounce 

Malachite  Green..... . %  ounce 

Wood  Alcohol . . . 1  gallon 

A  spirit  stain  is  not  as  satisfactory  a  way  to  produce  Early 
English.  The  pores  are  not  open  and  the  amount  of  filler  that 
the  wood  will  take  on  is  not  sufficient  to  produce  the  effect. 


EARLY  ENGLISH  (Oil  Stain). 


FORMULA: 

Oil  Black . 1%  pounds 

Oil  yellow . 2%  ounces 

Oil  Brown... . . . .%  ounce 

Linseed  Oil...... . %  pint 

Turpentine  . . . 1  quart 

Naphtha  . . . . . . . . . 1  gallon 


This  mixture  is  prepared  as  follows:  Heat  the  turpentine 


360 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


on  a  water  bath  and  in  it  melt  the  colors.  Then,  when  melted, 
add  the  linseed  oil  and  when  cool  add  the  naphtha. 

This  gives  a  base  for  producing  Early  English.  It  must  be 
thinned  with  gasoline  or  benzo,  however,  to  produce  the  desired 
depth  of  color.  The  stain  must  be  allowed  to  stand  until  thor¬ 
oughly  dry  before  an  attempt  be  made  to  fill  the  work.  The  same 
ingredients  can  be  cut  by  the  use  of  benzo  in  place  of  the  hot  tur¬ 
pentine,  and  if  it  is  desired  to  increase  the  penetrating  powers, 
add  four  ounces  of  acetone  to  each  gallon  of  stain.  This  will 
greatly  facilitate  the  binding  of  the  stain  into  the  wood. 


EARLY  ENGLISH. 

FORMULA: 

Nigrosine,  Jet  Black,  soluble  in  water . 1  pound 

Water,  hot . 7  gallons 

To  produce  greenish  shade: 

Dissolve  Picric  Acid . 1  ounce 

Water  or  Alcohol . 12  ounces 

DIRECTIONS: 


Add  to  the  nigrosine  solution  as  much  of  the  picric  acid 
solution  as  required  to  produce  the  shade  desired.  Sponge 
the  wood  and  sand.  Then  apply  stain,  giving  one  good 
coat.  When  dry,  sandpaper,  dust  and  fill  with  black 
filler.  Any  good  natural  filler  may  be  colored  black  by 
adding  drop  black.  Early  English  may  be  shellaced,  var¬ 
nished  and  rubbed  flat,  or  flat  finish  may  be  put  over  the 
shellac  coat.  Some  prefer  to  wax  it. 


EARLY  ENGLISH  (One  Coat). 


FORMULA: 

Sulphur  Brown  “M” . 2  ounces 

Black  P.  B . . . 4  ounces 

Lye  . M  ounce 

Water  . 1  gal.  3  qts. 

DIRECTIONS: 


After  work  has  been  sponged  and  sanded,  apply  thor¬ 
oughly.  When  dry,  sand  lightly  with  finishing  paper, 
sand  just  enough  to  remove  the  fibers.  Prepare  the  filler 
by  coloring  natural  filler  with  equal  parts  of  Van  Dyke 
brown,  ground  in  oil,  and  drop  black  ground  in  oil.  After 
filling,  let  work  stand  24  hours.  Then  apply  shellac, 
using  two  parts  of  white  to  one  part  of  orange.  Sand 
the  shellac  coat  lightly  and  coat  with  flat  Mission  finish 
or  wax.  If  better  finish  is  desired  the  Mission  can  be  oil 
rubbed. 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


361 


EARLY  ENGLISH  (Standard). 


FORMULA: 

Walnut  Crystals  (ground) . 2  ounces 

Black  P.  B . 1  ounce 

Water  . . . . » . 1  gallon 

DIRECTIONS: 


First  sponge  the  wood  with  a  solution  of  one-half  ounce 
of  lye  to  a  gallon  of  water.  Sand  and  apply  the  stain. 
Fill  with  a  dark  filler  colored  with  drop  black,  ground  in 
oil.  Then  apply  one  coat  of  white  shellac.  Sand  with  00 
sandpaper  and  give  one  or  two  coats  of  white  varnish  and 
rub  dull.  Some  finish  in  wax,  others  prefer  flat  finish, 
but  Early  English  proper  should  be  finished  with  varnish. 

EARLY  ENGLISH  (Oil  Stain). 


FORMULA: 

Oak  Stain  No.  53  H.  &  M . . . ....1  ounce 

Oak  Stain  No.  37  H.  &  M . %  ounce 

Benzole  . 3  ounces 

Oil  of  Mirbane . %  ounce 

Japan  . .....3  ounces 

Naphtha  . . 16  ounces 

Turpentine  . 2  ounces 

DIRECTIONS: 


Cut  the  stain  powders  with  the  benzole  and  slowly  add 
turpentine  until  the  color  is  all  dissolved,  or  heat  the  tur¬ 
pentine  on  water  bath  and  cut  the  color  while  turpentine 
is  hot.  Next  add  the  japan  and  as  the  mixture  cools,  add 
other  ingredients. 

After  the  work  is  smoothed  and  ready  for  stain,  dust  it 
off  carefully  and  apply  stain.  Do  not  fill  till  second  day. 
Filler  to  be  colored  with  two  parts  Van  Dyke  brown  and 
one  part  drop  black.  Let  filler  dry  well,  then  coat  with 
shellac  two  parts  white  shellac  and  one  part  orange.  Sand 
lightly  and  coat  with  flat  varnish  or  flat  Mission  finish. 

ENGLISH  OAK. 


FORMULA: 

Walnut  Crystals  ground . 10  ounces 

Lye,  such  as  Babbitt’s....... . . . %  ounce 

Water  . . . . . . . 1  gallon 

DIRECTIONS: 


It  will  be  noticed  that  this  is  very  nearly  the  same  as 
walnut  stain,  the  only  differing  feature  being  the  filler 
which  should  have  the  Van  Dyke  brown  color  and  the 


362 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


final  finish,  which  should  be  correct.  It  is  a  high  polish, 
usually  produced  with  two  coats  of  shellac  and  varnish 
polished. 


EBONY  STAIN. 


FORMULA: 

Solid  Extract  of  Logwood . 3  ounces 

Water  . V2  gallon 


DIRECTIONS: 

Tie  the  broken  pieces  of  logwood  extract  in  a  cotton  cloth 
and  place  in  the  water  which  should  be  allowed  to  boil 
until  the  liquid  is  reduced  one  half.  Remove  the  cloth 
which  will  contain  but  a  small  amount  of  fibrous  inert 
matter.  To  the  warm  solution  of  logwood,  add  two-thirds 
ounce  of  powdered  sal  soda  or  one-third  ounce  of  dried 
carbonate  of  soda.  Stir  this  gradually  into  the  warm 
solution  and  remove  the  resultant  foam.  Should  the 
solution  be  cooled,  then  heat  again  and  apply  to  the  wood 
or  if  convenient,  dip  the  wood.  If  first  operation  does  not 
penetrate  thoroughly,  repeat  the  operation.  After  the 
wood  has  dried,  apply  a  hot  solution  of  bichromate  of  pot¬ 
ash  or  soda,  using  one  and  two-thirds  ounces  to  the  quart 
of  water.  A  deep  rich  color  will  result.  For  small  ar¬ 
ticles,  the  dipping  process  is  recommended.  This  produces 
a  much  deeper  penetration  than  any  other  known  method. 

The  following  formulas  will  produce  excellent  blacks  and 
being  made  up  of  material  to  be  found  in  any  market  are  of 
value  because  the  black  color  can  be  changed  so  as  to  produce 
many  of  the  modern  stains  by  the  admixture  of  such  colors  as 
red,  yellow  and  orange. 


FORMULA  No.  1: 

Logwood  Chips . 6  pounds 

Powdered  Verdigris . V2  pound 

Copperas  . %  pound 

Bruised  Nutgalls . 4  ounces 

Water  . 10  gallons 


Boil  for  two  hours,  then  add  one  gallon  of  vinegar,  and 
boil  for  one  more  hour. 


FORMULA  No.  2: 

Logwood  Chips . %  pound 

Pearl  Ash  . 1  ounce 

Boiling  Hot  Water . 2  quarts 


Apply  hot  to  the  wood. 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 

YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


j 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


863 


FORMULA  B: 

Logwood  Chips  . %  pound 

Verdigris . %  ounce 

Copperas  . .%  ounce 

Boil  in  two  quarts  of  water.  Second  coat. 

FORMULA  No.  3: 

Logwood  Extract . 1  pound 

Water  . 3  gallons 

Copperas  . . 1  pound 

Boil  for  two  hours. 

FORMULA  No.  4: 

Logwood  Extract  . . 1  pound 

Copperas  . iVi  pounds 

Powdered  Nutgalls  . 2  pounds 

Water  . . .5  gallons 

Boil  for  two  hours. 

FORMULA  No.  5: 

Nigrosine  . . . - . 4  ounces 

Acetic  Acid . ...4  ounces 

Water  . 1  gallon 

Apply  two  coats. 

EARLY  ENGLISH  (Antique). 

Sometimes  called  Royal  Early  English. 

FIRST  COAT  FORMULA: 

Walnut  Crystals  . . .Vi  ounce 

Mahogany  Brown  . . 1  dram 

Lye  (Carbonate  of  Potash) . . ounce 

Water  . . . . ...............2 Vi  gallons 

SECOND  COAT  FORMULA: 

Tincture  of  Iron........ . %  ounce 

Black  P.  B . %  ounce 

Walnut  Crystals  . %  ounce 

Water  . 1  gallon 

DIRECTIONS: 

The  first  coat  should  be  applied  thoroughly,  as  it  con¬ 
stitutes  the  sponging  coat.  When  dry,  sand  it  well  and 
apply  second  coat.  When  dry,  give  a  thin  coat  of  shellac 
and  sand  lightly,  then  fill.  Filler  to  be  almost  black,  just 
enough  Van  Dyke  brown  to  be  used  to  take  off  the  coal 
black  shade.  Let  stand  48  hours  and  give  one  coat  of 


364 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


shellac,  using  three  parts  of  white  and  one  part  of 
orange.  Sand  and  wax  or  give  good  flat  finish. 

FOREST  GREEN. 

FIRST  COAT  FORMULA: 

Acid  Green  “E” . 214  ounces 

Water  . 1  gallon 

SECOND  COAT  FORMULA: 

Picric  Acid  . %  ounce 

Water  . 1  gallon 

DIRECTIONS: 

The  wood  to  be  prepared  in  usual  manner.  First  coat 
applied  and  sanded  lightly.  Then  apply  second  coat. 
This  serves  as  a  mordant.  After  this  is  dry,  fill  with  a 
filler  which  is  colored  with  chrome  green  and  drop  black. 
Some  add  a  bit  of  brown.  Shellac  and  finish  to  suit. 

FLANDERS  (Stain  Method). 


FIRST  COAT  FORMULA: 

Bichromate  of  Potash . 2  ounces 

Caustic  Soda  (stick) . 1  ounce 

Water  . 1  gallon 

SECOND  COAT  FORMULA: 

Nigrosine,  Jet  Black . 2  ounces 

Sulphate  of  Iron,  dried . 1  dram 

Acid  Brown  . 2  ounces 

Water  . 1  gallon 

DIRECTIONS: 


The  first  coat  constitutes  sponging  coat  as  well  as  stain 
coat.  It  is  sanded  thoroughly,  and  the  second  coat  is 
applied.  When  dry,  coat  without  sanding  with  a  mix¬ 
ture  of  two  parts  japan,  two  parts  boiled  oil  and  four 
parts  naphtha.  Let  this  dry  well,  and  rub  down  when 
dry.  Properly  speaking,  Flanders  should  not  be  filled. 
If,  however,  it  is  requested,  color  your  filler  with  equal 
parts  of  drop  black  and  burnt  umber.  Then  shellac.  If 
not  filled,  use  repeated  coats  of  the  oil  mixture  and  rub 
until  a  good,  smooth  matte  surface  is  obtained. 

FUMED  OAK  “A.” 


FIRST  COAT  FORMULA: 

Bichromate  of  Potash . , . 4  ounces 

Carbonate  of  Potash . 1  ounce 

Water  . 5  quarts 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 

YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


PEOBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  BOOM 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


365 


SECOND  COAT  FORMULA: 

Blue,  Extra  Blue . .....1  ounce 

Scarlet  2R  . 60  grains 

Water  . . 2  gallons 

DIRECTIONS: 


After  applying  the  first  coat  of  stain,  let  the  work  stand 
over  night,  then  sand  smooth,  and  coat  with  a  mixture  of 
one  part  boiled  oil  and  three  parts  naphtha.  To  each 
quart  of  this  oily  mixture  add  one  ounce  (liquid  measure) 
of  japan  drier. 

The  following  day,  stain  over  this  coat,  which  by  this 
time  should  have  thoroughly  penetrated  the  wood,  with 
the  second  coat.  If  there  is  any  difficulty  in  making  the 
stain  take  hold,  rub  the  spot  with  rags,  and  then  go  over 
again  with  the  stain.  Do  not  sand  this  coat,  but  go  over 
the  work  with  japan  drier  to  which  one  pint  of  turpen¬ 
tine  has  been  added  to  each  gallon.  See  that  a  uniform 
covering  is  produced.  When  it  is  thoroughly  dry,  finish 


in  wax. 

FUMED  OAK  “B  ” 

FIRST  COAT  FORMULA: 

Bichromate  of  Potash . %  ounce 

Carbonate  of  Potash,  or  Soda  if  dried . %  ounce 

Water  . 1  gallon 

SECOND  COAT  FORMULA: 

Nigrosine,  Jet  Black . %  ounce 

Walnut  Brown  Powder . 4  ounces 

Water  . . 1  gallon 

DIRECTIONS: 


Apply  the  first  coat,  and  when  dry,  sandpaper,  dust  off. 
Then  apply  a  mixture  of  one  part  of  boiled  oil  and  five 
parts  of  naphtha.  Allow  to  stand  not  less  than  six  hours, 
rubbing  off  the  oil  spots  with  rags,  and  then  apply  second 
coat.  If  oil  spots  show  through  the  stain,  wipe  them  off 
well  with  waste  or  rags,  and  stain  again.  When  this  coat 
is  thoroughly  dry,  coat  with  white  shellac.  If  any  wood 
fibers  show  through  the  shellac  coat,  they  can  easily  be 
cut  off  by  going  over  the  shellac  coat  carefully  with  sand¬ 
paper.  In  this  operation,  however,  care  should  be  taken 
not  to  cut  through  the  shellac.  Dust  off,  and  apply  wax. 

FUMED  OAK  “C.” 


FIRST  COAT  FORMULA: 

Bichromate  of  Potash............... . ..............2  ounces 

Orange  Y . . . 30  grains 

Naphthol  Yellow  . .....30  grains 

Water  . . 1  gallon 


366 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


SECOND  COAT  FORMULA: 


Scarlet  3RL  . %  ounce 

Nigrosine,  Jet  Black . 3V2  ounces 

Naphthol  Yellow  . 2  drams 

Water  . 1  gallon 

DIRECTIONS: 


Apply  the  first  coat  in  the  usual  manner,  and  sand  lightly. 
Dust  off,  apply  the  second  coat,  and,  without  sanding, 
give  a  coat  of  white  shellac.  When  this  is  thoroughly 
dry,  sand  it  smooth,  and  apply  a  second  coat  of  very  thin 
shellac.  Then  finish  in  wax. 


FUMED  OAK  ENGLISH. 


FIRST  COAT  FORMULA: 

Orange  Y  . 30  grains 

Mahogany  Red  . 10  grains 

Water  . 16  ounces 

SECOND  COAT  FORMULA: 

Picric  Acid  . 10  grains 

Nigrosine  . 3  grains 

Iron  Sulphate  (crystals) . 60  grains 

Sulphate  of  Soda . 60  grains 

Water  . 1  quart 

DIRECTIONS: 


It  is  not  necessary  to  sponge  the  wood  after  the  original 
sanding.  Apply  a  good  coat  of  the  first  coat  stain.  Sand 
smooth  and  then  apply  second  coat.  This  may  be  varied 
in  strength  according  to  the  depth  of  color  desired.  This 
fumed  oak  is  sometimes  called  Limbert’s  No.  4  and  is  of  a 
grayish  color.  It  has  none  of  the  deep  brown  shades 
typical  of  regular  fumed  oak  and  looks  very  much  like 
the  wood  when  it  first  comes  from  the  fuming  box  before 
any  oil  has  been  applied.  The  finish  is  made  the  same  as 
in  any  fumed  oak  with  the  exception  of  shellac.  This 
must  be  white  shellac,  and,  if  necessary,  give  a  shade  of 
gray  by  adding  a  few  grains  of  spirit  black  to  each  pint 
of  shellac. 


FUMED  OAK  OIL. 


FORMULA: 

Oil  Black . 1  ounce 

Oil  Brown  . 30  grains 

Oil  Mahogany  . %  ounce 

Benzole  . 1  pint 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS  

YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


367 


DIRECTIONS: 

These  dyes,  oil  soluble  anilines  will  produce  a  good  fumed 
oak  stain,  and  will,  if  handled  carefully,  produce  a  quick 
finish  job.  The  addition  of  a  half  ounce  of  acetone  will 
help  to  penetrate  and  hold  the  stain  in  place.  The  shellac 
must  be  applied  quickly  without  much  brushing. 

FUMED  OAK  OIL. 

FORMULA: 

Gum  Asphaltum  . . . . . 3  ounces 

Oil  Black . . . . . . . 3  ounces 

Oil  Brown  . . . . . 3  drams 

Benzole  . . . . . . 42  ounces 

White  Varnish  . . . 5  ounces 

Naphtha  . . . 1  gallon 

DIRECTIONS: 

Put  the  color  materials  in  a  bottle  and  add  the  benzole, 
agitating  occasionally  until  the  colors  are  cut.  Then  add 
the  naphtha  and  the  varnish.  It  takes  considerable  time 
to  cut  the  colors;  therefore,  the  bottle  is  recommended  to 
avoid  the  evaporation  of  benzole.  Apply  the  stain,  taking 
care  to  avoid  laps  and  brush  marks.  When  dry,  apply 
shellac  and  wax  or  give  two  coats  of  wax  substitute.  Be 
sure  the  shellac  coat  covers  well  to  keep  air  off  stain. 

FUMED  OAK  OIL  STAIN  (A). 


FORMULA: 

Oil  Oak  Stain  No.  37  H.  &  M.. . M,  ounce 

Oil  Oak  Stain  No.  41  H.  &  M . . .%  ounce 

Benzole  . IY2  ounce 

Oil  Mirbane  . 1  dram 

Japan  . 4  ounces 

Turpentine  . 4  ounces 

Naphtha  . . 16  ounces 

DIRECTIONS: 


Cut  the  colors  in  benzole.  Then  add  the  turpentine  and 
other  ingredients.  The  wood  must  be  well  sanded  and 
dusted  before  stain  is  applied.  Then  give  one  coat  of 
orange  shellac.  If  sanding  is  necessary,  use  the  very 
finest  sandpaper.  Finish  with  wax  or  a  good  flat  varnish. 

FUMED  OAK  OIL  STAIN. 

For  Printed  Woods. 

FORMULA: 

Burnt  Umber  ground  in  oil . . . 1  pound 


368 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


Turpentine  . 1  quart 

Japan  . 1  quart 

Naphtha  . 5%  quarts 

Oil  Fumed  Oak  Stain  (A)  equal  measure  7%  quarts 

DIRECTIONS: 

See  that  the  umber  is  thoroughly  mixed  with  the  liquids. 
Then  add  the  fumed  oak  (A)  stain.  Keep  the  mixture 
well  stirred  when  applying.  When  dry,  shellac,  using 
orange  shellac  which  is  colored  with  a  little  Bismark 
brown  to  give  it  a  reddish  tint.  When  dry,  sandpaper 
lightly  and  wax  or  give  a  coat  of  flat  varnish. 


FUMED  OAK— G.  R.  M.  STANDARD. 


FIRST  COAT  FORMULA: 

Bichromate  of  Potash . %  ounce 

Carbonate  of  Potash  or  Soda,  if  dried.... %  ounce 
Water  . 1  gallon 

SECOND  COAT  FORMULA: 

Acid  Brown  . 2  drams 

Sap  Brown,  or  Walnut  Brown  Powdered. .2  ounces 

Nigrosine,  Jet  Black . ...1  ounce 

Naphthol  Yellow  . 1  dram 

Sulphur  Brown  M . 1  oz.  6  dr. 


Of  this  powdered  mixture,  use  three  and  one-half  ounces 
to  the  gallon  of  water. 

DIRECTIONS: 

Apply  the  first  coat  thoroughly,  and  let  it  stand  at  least 
six  hours.  Sand  and  dust  off,  then  oil  with  a  mixture  one 
part  japan  drier,  two  parts  of  boiled  oil,  and  five  parts 
of  naphtha.  Wipe  off  thoroughly,  and  when  dry  apply 
the  second  coat,  taking  care  that  the  stain  covers  well, 
and  that  no  oil  spots  are  visible.  Coat  with  white  shellac 
and  wax.  In  place  of  waxing,  some  prefer  to  use  a  flat 
finish,  or  a  substitute  wax  finish  as  made  by  the  varnish 
houses. 


FUMED  OAK  No.  5. 


FIRST  COAT  FORMULA: 

Bichromate  of  Potash . 2  ounces 

Orange  Y  . 30  grains 

Naphthol  Yellow  . 30  grains 

Water  . 1  gallon 


_ 


AS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS  369 


SECOND  COAT  FORMULA: 

Scarlet  3RL  . %  ounce 

Nigrosine,  Jet  Black . 3  ounces 

Walnut  Brown,  Powdered . 1  ounce 

Naphthol  Yellow  . . 2  drams 

Water  . 1  gallon 

DIRECTIONS: 


Apply  the  first  coat,  let  stand  over  night,  sand  lightly, 
and  apply  second  coat.  Shellac  and  wax. 

FUMED  OAK  WITH  STAIN  POWDERS. 
DIRECTIONS: 

The  first  coat  is  made  with  the  idea  of  penetrating  the 
wood,  and  producing  the  fumed  oak  effect  in  the  flake. 
The  second  coat  is  to  give  the  color. 

The  oil  coat  is  intended  to  give  a  depth  of  color,  and  a 
transparency  which  is  produced  in  fumed  oak  when  made 
in  the  fuming  box. 

Different  shades  are  possible  with  any  of  the  foregoing 
formulas  by  first  increasing  the  amount  of  stain  material 
used  to  the  gallon  of  water;  second,  the  color  effect  is 
under  control  by  increasing  or  decreasing  the  amount  of 
blacks,  browns  and  reds  used,  so  that  any  shade  of  fumed 
oak  can  be  produced  at  pleasure. 

For  blending,  evening  up,  see  general  directions  under 
Blending  Mixtures. 

FUMED  OAK  SPECIAL. 


FIRST  COAT  FORMULA: 

Pyrogallic  Acid  . . . . . 1  ounce 

Tannic  Acid  . . . . . . . .......%  ounce 

Water  . . . . . 1  gallon 

SECOND  COAT  FORMULA: 

Carbonate  of  Potash . 8  ounces 

Bichromate  of  Potash . . . 2  ounces 

Stronger  Ammonia  (26°) . 4  ounces 

Copper  Solution . 4  ounces 

Water  . 1  gallon 


DIRECTIONS: 

To  prepare  second  coat,  dissolve  the  carbonate  of  potash 
in  the  water.  Dissolve  the  bichromate.  Then  add  the 
copper  and  ammonia  in  this  manner:  Prepare  the  copper 
solution  by  dissolving  four  ounces  of  copper  sulphate  in 
one  quart  of  water.  Powder  the  copper  sulphate  and  use 
boiling  water.  When  this  solution  is  cool,  take  four 
ounces  and  add  to  it  four  ounces  of  ammonia.  When  first 


370 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


adding  this  ammonia,  a  white  precipitate  is  formed,  which 
will  redissolve  as  ammonia  is  added.  If  the  four  ounces 
of  ammonia  do  not  completely  dissolve  this  white  precipi¬ 
tate,  then  continue  to  add  ammonia  until  a  deep  blue 
solution  is  obtained.  Add  this  then  to  the  potash  solution. 
When  a  clear  olive  colored  solution  is  obtained,  which  is 
the  second  coat,  that  does  the  changing  of  color  on  the 
first  coat.  Coat  with  shellac,  half  orange  and  half  white, 
sandpaper  and  wax,  or  use  one  of  the  now  popular  pre¬ 
pared  wax  substitutes. 

Blending  may  be  done  in  the  shellac  coat  according  to  the 
directions  under  “General  Instructions  for  Blending.” 


OTHER  FUMED  OAK  SPECIALS. 

Herewith  are  given  second  coats  over  pyrogallic  and  tannic 
acid  coat. 


SECOND  COAT  FORMULA: 

Water  (Hot)  . 3  gallons 

Nigrosine,  Jet  Black . IV2  ounces 

Carbonate  of  Potash . 12  ounces 

Bichromate  of  Potash . 6  ounces 

26  degrees  Ammonia . 12  ounces 

Add  when  solution  is  cool  or 

Water  (Hot)  . 1  gallon 

Carbonate  of  Potash . 8  ounces 

Bichromate  of  Potash . 2  ounces 

Copper  Solution  . 8  ounces 


DIRECTIONS: 

Dissolve  four  ounces  sulphate  of  copper  in  one  quart  of 
hot  water;  to  this  add  one  quart  of  26  degree  ammonia. 
At  first  it  will  precipitate  and  form  a  white  cloud.  Keep 
on  adding  ammonia  till  a  dark  blue  solution  is  obtained, 
then  of  this  dark  blue  solution  add  eight  ounces  (one-half 
pint)  to  above  gallon.  Then  add  jet  black  nigrosine  till 
desired  shade  is  obtained;  one-half  ounce  to  gallon  is 
recommended. 

For  toning  light  streaks  and  to  even  up,  use  following  in 
shellac  coat:  Dissolve  enough  Bismark  brown  in  one  pint 
of  wood  alcohol  to  make  a  reddish  color,  then  add  equal 
quantity  of  white  shellac.  Make  same  kind  of  solution 
with  spirit  black,  then  mix  these  two  shellac  solutions  to 
make  the  brown  fumed  oak  shade  when  applied  to  last 
stain  coat.  Sand  lightly  and  wax. 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


371 


FURNITURE  CITY  WAX. 

Ready  for  use. 

FORMULA: 

Japanese  Wax  . IOV2  pounds 

Turpentine  . ...14  pounds 

DIRECTIONS: 

Melt  the  wax  and  when  about  to  cool,  add  the  turpentine. 
It  will  be  noticed  that  no  beeswax  enters  into  this  wax. 


GRAY  MAPLE. 


FORMULA: 

Jet  Black . 1  dram 

Orange  Y  . . .....5  grains 

Sulphate  of  Iron . ...1  ounce 

Sulphate  of  Soda . 4  ounces 

Water  . 2  gallons 


DIRECTIONS: 

Apply  one  coat  on  the  sanded  work.  Do  not  sponge  the 
wood.  Brush  the  stain  well  into  the  wood  and  let  it  stand 
at  least  over  night  as  the  action  is  slow.  The  strength 
of  the  stain  may  be  varied  to  produce  the  various  shades 
of  gray.  Sand  down  with  very  fine  sandpaper.  Do  not 
use  any  shellac-finish  with  lacquer  or  paraffine  wax. 


GRAY  MAPLE— DARK. 

DIRECTIONS: 

Use  same  method  as  above,  but  precede  the  operation  by 
giving  the  wood  a  coat  of  tannic  acid,  one  ounce  to  the 
gallon  of  water.  When  dry,  apply  regular  gray  maple 
stain.  This  produces  a  rich  deep  gray  and  can  be  changed 
by  varying  the  strength  of  the  two  solutions. 

G.  R.  M.  STANDARD  MAHOGANY. 


FORMULA: 

Mahogany  No.  708... . 1  pound 

Bichromate  of  Potash . 1  pound 

Naphthol  Yellow  . %  ounce 

DIRECTIONS: 


Of  the  above  powder  mixture  use  six  ounces  to  each 
gallon  of  water.  This  mahogany  stain  was  adopted  by 
the  Grand  Rapids  furniture  manufacturers  as  a  standard. 
The  filler  is  to  be  dark.  Color  the  natural  filler  with  Van 
Dyke  brown,  drop  black  and  a  small  quantity  of  rose  pink. 


372 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


JACOBEAN  OAK. 

FORMULA: 

Oil  Brown  . 2  ounces 

Oil  Orange  . 1  ounce 

Oil  Black . 1  ounce 

Drop  Black  . 8  ounces 

DIRECTIONS: 

Cut  the  color  in  warm  turpentine;  when  all  dissolved  stir 
into  the  mixture  one-half  pound  drop  black,  ground  in  oil. 
Then  apply  the  stain,  keeping  continually  stirred.  When 
about  ready  to  set,  high  light.  In  this  purpose,  use  rags 
or  burlap.  Then  shellac  and  wax.  The  color  and  shade 
may  be  varied  by  changing  the  amounts  of  material 
employed. 


KAISER  GRAY. 


FORMULA: 

Sulphate  of  Iron . %  ounce 

Black  P.  B . %  ounce 

Oxalic  Acid  . 1  dram 

Water  . V-2  gallon 

DIRECTIONS: 


After  sponging  and  sanding,  give  the  work  a  good  coat 
of  stain,  being  careful  to  spread  evenly.  Give  one  or  two 
coats  of  lacquer.  Rub  with  hair  cloth  or  0000  sandpaper. 


KAISER  GRAY. 

FIRST  COAT  FORMULA: 

Oxalic  Acid  . 1  dram 

Water . 1  quart 

SECOND  COAT  FORMULA: 

Black  P.  B . 1  ounce 

Water  . 1  gallon 

DIRECTIONS: 

Apply  first  coat  thoroughly,  then  sand  the  work  and  give 
second  coat.  Do  not  sand  this.  If  any  grain  is  raised, 
rub  with  burlap.  Then  give  one  coat  of  lacquer,  sand 
lightly  and  wax  with  paraffine  wax.  This  is  prepared 
by  melting  same.  When  in  this  condition  add  half  turpen¬ 
tine  and  naphtha.  Remove  from  fire  before  attempting 
this. 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


373 


KENILWORTH. 


FORMULA: 

Oil  Brown,  dark . 2  ounces 

Oil  Orange  . %  ounce 

Oil  Black  . —2  ounces 

Asphaltum  Varnish  . 4  ounces 

Turpentine  . 2  gallons 

Drop  Black  . %  pound 

Burnt  Umber  . Yz  pound 

DIRECTIONS: 


Warm  a  portion  of  the  turpentine  on  a  water  bath  and 
allow  the  oil  anilines  to  melt.  When  solution  is  complete 
add  another  portion  and  stir  well.  Then  mix  the  pigments 
with  another  portion,  and  when  a  smooth  mixture  is 
obtained  mix  all,  using  the  balance  of  clear  turpentine  to 
rinse  the  mixing  dishes.  Apply  with  a  wide  flat  brush 
and  when  dry  high-light  with  sandpaper.  Some  prefer 
to  do  this  with  rags  dampened  with  turpentine,  taking  off 
just  enough  color  to  show  high-lighting  when  completely 
dry. 


LIMBERT’S  No.  8  FUMED  OAK. 


FIRST  COAT  FORMULA: 

Bichromate  of  Potash . . . 1  ounce 

Carbonate  of  Potash . 1  ounce 

or 

Carbonate  of  Soda  dried . 1  ounce 


SECOND  COAT  FORMULA: 

Walnut  Crystals  . 1  ounce 

Solution  No.  1. . %  ounce 

Solution  No.  2 . 3%  ounces 

Solution  No.  3 . 2  ounces 

Water  . 1  Yi  pints 

Prepare  solutions  Nos.  1,  2  and  3  by  dissolving: 

1%  ounces  of  Naphthol  Yellow . in  one  quart  of  water 

1%  ounces  of  Black  P.  B . . . in  one  quart  of  water 

IV2  ounces  of  Loutre . . . in  one  quart  of  water 

Label  each  bottle  as  Sol.  No.  1,  2  and  3. 


DIRECTIONS: 

Coat  the  work  with  first  coat  stain.  Sand  well  and  apply 


oil  made  as  follows: 

Boiled  Linseed  Oil . 1  part 

Japan  . Vs  part 

Turpentine  . ... . . 1  part 

Naphtha  . 4  parts 


374 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


Let  this  penetrate  well.  Rub  off  greasy  spots  and  apply 
second  coat.  When  dry,  give  a  coat  of  white  shellac,  sand 
and  wax. 


LIGHT  BROWN  MAHOGANY. 


FORMULA: 

Bichromate  of  Potash . %  ounce 

Mahogany  Brown  . 2  ounces 

Mahogany  Red  . %  ounce 

Walnut  Crystals  . 1  dram 

Water  . 5  quarts 

DIRECTIONS: 


After  work  has  been  prepared,  give  one  good  coat  of  stain. 
Sand  lightly  and  shellac  with  half  white  and  half  orange 
shellac,  giving  two  coats,  and  follow  with  one  good  coat 
of  varnish.  Rub  dull. 

MAHOGANY  STAIN  FOR  BIRCH. 


'  FORMULA: 

Mahogany  No.  708 . 18  ounces 

Water  . 2%  gallons 


(See  formula  for  No.  708) 

DIRECTIONS: 

First  sponge  the  wood  with  a  solution  of  lye,  using  one- 
fourth  ounce  of  Lewis’  or  Babbitt’s  lye  to  a  gallon  of 
water.  Sand  and  dust  well,  then  apply  stain,  one  coat  of 
shellac  and  two  coats  of  varnish.  Rub  dull. 

MAHOGANY  No.  708. 

FORMULA: 

This  is  a  popular  one-powder  mahogany  stain  made  by 
mixing: 

Mahogany  Red  (Standard  quality) . 6  parts 

Mahogany  Brown  (Standard  quality) . 4  parts 

MAHOGANY,  BROWN. 


FORMULA: 

Mahogany  Brown  . 1%  ounces 

Nigrosine,  Jet  Black . %  ounce 

Picric  Acid  . 20  grains 

Water  . 1  gallon 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


375 


DIRECTIONS: 

For  genuine  mahogany  apply  one  coat  of  stain ;  then  sand 
and  fill  with  a  dark  filler,  first  colored  brown  with  Van 
Dyke  brown,  then  made  very  dark  with  drop  black.  Shel¬ 
lac  and  apply  two  or  three  coats  of  varnish.  Rub  flat. 
For  imitation  coats  reduce  water  25  per  cent. 


MAHOGANY,  BROWN,  ADAM. 


FORMULA: 

Mahogany  Brown  . 2  ounces 

Nigrosine,  Jet  Black . . . %  ounce 

Bichromate  of  Potash . . . . . . . M  ounce 

Water  . . . . . . . . . . . . 1  gallon 

DIRECTIONS: 


Mix  the  colors  and  dissolve  in  water.  Apply  one  coat  of 
stain,  and  fill  with  a  dark  brown  filler,  softening  the  shade 
with  a  little  rose  pink.  Shellac  and  give  two  coats  of 
varnish;  rub  flat.  For  imitation  woods  use  25  per  cent 
less  water. 


MAHOGANY  STAINS. 

The  following  formulas  for  mahogany  will  be  found  excellent 
in  factories  where  large  quantities  of  work  are  turned  out.  A 
close  study  of  the  various  stain  solutions  will  show  wherein  they 
constitute  the  “backbone”  of  all  mahogany  finishes. 


No.  1  STAIN: 


Bichromate  of  Potash . . . 10  Vi  ounces 

Water  . . . 2  gallons 


No.  2  STAIN: 

Mahogany  Red . . . . . 4%  ounces 

Mahogany  Brown  . . . . 4  ounces 

Water  . . . . . . . 2  gallons 

No.  3  STAIN  FOR  MAHOGANY: 

No.  1  Stain . . . 3%  gallons 

No.  2  Stain . . . ....................5  gallons 

Water  . . . . . . . 10  gallons 


No.  4  STAIN  FOR  BIRCH  TO  MATCH  MAHOGANY: 


Bichromate  of  Potash . . . . 2%  ounces 

Mahogany  Red . . . . . 4  ounces 

Mahogany  Brown  . . . . . . .4  ounces 

Warm  Water  . . . . . . . 2  gallons 


376 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


No.  5  STAIN  FOR  TOONA  ON  VENEER: 

Caustic  Soda  . %  ounce 

Spirits  of  Nitre . 2  ounces 

No.  2  Stain . 1  ounce  (fluid) 

Water  . 2  gallons 

No.  6  STAIN  FOR  TOONA  ON  BIRCH: 

Use  No.  2  Stain  diluted  to  produce  the  same  shade  as 
No.  5  Stain  produces  on  veneer.  Then  go  over  it  with 
No.  5  if  necessary.  For  Toona  on  solid  mahogany  use 
No.  5  double  strength. 

DIRECTIONS: 

To  produce  satisfactory  working  solutions  from  mahogany 
stain  powders,  known  as  mahogany  red  and  mahogany 
brown,  care  must  be  taken  to  get  a  good  quality.  The 
cheaper  powders,  usually  sold  around  50  cents  per  pound, 
do  not  contain  the  color  value  and  thus  the  formula  is 
liable  to  fall  off  in  shade.  After  securing  a  good  grade  it 
is  easy  to  establish  these  formulas  to  suit  each  particular 
case. 

These  formulas  will  not  produce  the  later  shade  of  brown 
or  Adam  Mahogany.  These  are  given  under  their  respec¬ 
tive  names. 


MALACHITE  OAK. 


FORMULA: 

Blue,  extra  Blue . 1  ounce 

Acid  Green  . 4  ounces 

Water . 4  gallons 

DIRECTIONS: 


Dissolve  the  dyes  in  the  water  and  when  the  solution  is 
complete  apply  two  good  coats.  Sand  the  first  coat  but 
not  the  second.  Prepare  the  filler  by  coloring  with  six 
parts  drop  black,  one  part  Van  Dyke  brown  and  one  part 
deep  green,  all  ground  in  oil.  Give  two  coats  of  white 
shellac  varnish  and  rub  dull.  This  is  a  very  dark  green 
finish,  the  filler  a  shade  darker. 

ORIENTAL  OAK. 


FORMULA: 

Dried  Sulphate  of  Iron . 120  grains 

Sulphate  of  Soda . IV2  ounces 

Nigrosine,  Jet  Black . 60  grains 

DIRECTIONS: 


Apply  one  coat  of  stain.  Let  stand  24  hours.  Then  sand 
and  give  a  good  coat  of  white  shellac.  Smooth  with  fine 
sandpaper  and  wax. 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


377 


PALMETTO  WAX. 

A  Good  Furniture  Wax. 


FORMULA: 

Carnauba  Wax  . 1  pound 

Cerosene  Wax  . 2  pounds 

Paraffine  Wax  . 4  pounds 

DIRECTIONS: 


Break  up  in  small  lumps  and  melt  on  stove.  Stir  well  and 
if  desired  for  future  use,  pour  in  tins.  These  can  be  of  a 
size  so  that  each  will  represent  a  definite  weight.  If  de- 
desired  for  immediate  use,  add  turpentine  to  the  melted 
waxes  just  before  they  begin  to  harden.  Substitute  tur¬ 
pentine  or  mineral  turpentine  will  do  very  well.  Usually 
equal  parts  by  weight  will  make  a  good  working  wax. 
This  wax  is  durable,  holds  its  finish  and  is  inexpensive. 

OIL  SOLUBLE  GOLDEN  OAK  STAIN. 
FORMULA: 

Oil  Black  . 8  ounces 

Oil  Yellow . 4  ounces 

Oil  Brown  . 1  ounce 

DIRECTIONS: 

Dissolve  this  in  a  water  bath  in  a  quart  of  turpentine. 
Stir  into  one  gallon  of  asphaltum  varnish.  When  cool, 
add  four  gallons  of  naphtha.  Apply  this  stain  and  allow 
it  to  set  for  15  to  20  minutes,  then  fill  with  natural  filler. 
The  filler,  when  being  applied,  will  lift  up  the  excess 
stain,  and  by  being  brushed  across  the  grain  will  color 
itself  as  it  is  being  deposited  in  the  pores  of  the  wood. 
When  cleaned  off  and  when  dry,  shellac,  varnish  and 
polish  or  rub  well. 

PRIMA  VERA— MAHOGANY. 


FORMULA: 

Bichromate  of  Potash . 1  ounce 

Mahogany  Red  . .%  ounce 

Water  . 1  gallon 

DIRECTIONS: 


Dissolve  the  chemical  and  stain  powder  in  water  and  allow 
to  stand  over  night.  If  any  sediment  appears,  drain  off 
clear  liquid  or  filter.  Then  coat  the  work,  allowing  same 
to  dry  for  24  hours.  Most  makers  of  furniture  do  not  fill; 
this  is  a  matter  of  choice.  If  filler  is  used,  color  with  raw 
sienna  or  raw  umber.  Then  oil  with  seven  parts  oil,  one 
part  japan.  When  dry,  shellac,  smooth  if  necessary, 
varnish  and  rub  flat. 


378 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


ROSEWOOD. 


FORMULA: 

Bichromate  of  Potash . 1  pound 

Mahogany  Brown  . 5  pounds 

Nigrosine,  Jet  Black . 2%  pounds 

Methyl  Violet  . 2  ounces 

DIRECTIONS: 


In  place  of  pounds,  use  the  quantities  or  proportions  given 
as  parts,  calling  them  ounces,  drams  or  grains,  and  the 
amount  of  water  in  accordance  with  one  or  two  coat  work. 
The  filler  should  have  one  part  of  rose  pink  to  three  parts 
of  Van  Dyke  brown.  Use  brown  shellac,  two  coats  of 
varnish.  Rub  dull. 

SHELLAC,  WHITE. 

Five  pounds  bleached  shellac,  one  gallon  wood  or  denatured 
alcohol.  Follow  directions  given  for  orange  shellac.  Keep  the 
product  in  glass  jars  or  earthen  jugs,  as  tin  is  liable  to  discolor 
it.  Some  users  call  for  pure  grain  alcohol  shellac  varnish,  but 
manufacturers  have  given  up  the  manufacture  of  such  a  product 
long  since,  as  consumers  will  not  pay  the  price  it  would  be  neces¬ 
sary  to  charge. 


SHELLAC,  ORANGE. 

Four  and  one-half  pounds  of  gum  as  above,  one  gallon  wood 
or  denatured  alcohol.  Digest  in  a  suitable  mixing  keg  for  large 
batches,  or  in  a  wide-mouthed  glass  jar  for  the  small  quantity 
given  here.  Agitate  or  shake  the  mixture  occasionally  until  all 
the  gum  is  dissolved.  To  hasten  solution,  keep  in  a  warm  place, 
or  place  jar  in  a  warm  water-bath.  The  batch  noted  above  will 
produce  one  and  one-third  gallons. 

SHELLAC  SUBSTITUTE. 

A  new  shellac  substitute  is  prepared  by  treating  manila 
copal,  sandarac,  acaroid  resins,  and  other  resins  soluble  in  alco¬ 
hol,  and  precipitating  the  resulting  resin  soaps  with  acids,  the 
resin  acids  thus  obtained  being  mixed  with  palmitic,  stearic, 
elaidic  and  similar  fatty  acids.  The  mixture  is  said  to  possess 
the  property  of  forming,  on  the  evaporation  of  the  solvent,  an 
excellent  varnish  of  good  covering  properties  and  as  durable  in 
air  as  shellac.  The  resin  acids  and  solid  fatty  acids  may  be 
mixed,  either  in  the  solid  state,  as  alcoholic  solutions,  or  dissolved 
together  in  an  aqueous  solucion  of  alkali,  followed  by  precipita¬ 
tion.  The  proportions  taken  are:  Manila  copal,  sandarac,  acar¬ 
oid  resin,  or  mixtures  of  same,  30  parts;  caustic  potash  lye  (33 
per  cent  strength),  13 V2  parts,  and  water,  50  parts,  the  whole 
being  boiled  until  solution  ensues.  The  solution  is  next  treated 
with  a  hot  solution  of  one  part  of  commercial  stearine  and  one 


ULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 

' 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


379 


part  of  caustic  potash  lye  in  10  parts  of  water,  the  whole  being 
precipitated  with  a  mineral  acid.  The  precipitate  is  filtered, 
washed  and  dried,  and  is  readily  soluble  in  alcohol. 


SHERATON  MAHOGANY. 

FORMULA: 

Bichromate  of  Potash . 1%  ounces 

Black  P.  B . . . 2  dr.  2  scru. 

Mahogany  Red  . . . 1  scruple 

Water  . . 1  gallon 

DIRECTIONS: 

After  the  wood  is  prepared  by  sponging  and  sanding, 
apply  one  good  coat  of  stain  working  out  with  the  brush. 
Then  sand  lightly  and  fill  with  filler  colored  as  follows: 
For  every  25  pounds  of  natural  filler,  use  ten  ounces  of 
Van  Dyke  brown,  eight  ounces  of  burnt  umber,  six  ounces 
of  rose  pink,  all  ground  in  oil.  The  shellac  coat  to  be 
one  half  orange  and  one  half  white.  Give  one  good  coat 

of  varnish  (light),  two  are  better.  Can  be  finished  in 

gloss  or  dull. 

SILVER  OAK. 


FIRST  COAT  FORMULA: 

Potassium  Bichromate . %  ounce 

Lye  such  as  Lewis’  or  Babbitt’s . %  ounce 

or 

Sal  Soda  . 1  ounce 

Wafer . . . .....1  gallon 

SECOND  COAT  FORMULA: 

Antwerp  Stain  Powder  No.  2 . 3  ounces 

Blue,  extra  Blue . 1  dram 

Water . . . . 1  gallon 

DIRECTIONS: 


Apply  first  coat  and  sand  it  lightly.  Then  apply  second 
coat.  When  dry  sand  this  well.  Then  coat  with  a  mix¬ 
ture  of  zinc  white,  raw  oil  one  part,  naphtha  seven  parts, 
making  a  very  thin  solution.  Rub  this  well  into  the  pores. 
Clean  off  all  the  flakes  and  smooth  wood.  Then  when 
dry,  wax  and  rub  to  a  polish.  Do  not  shellac  the  work. 
This  fiber  oak  must  not  be  mistaken  for  any  of  the  light 
gray  oaks  now  so  popular.  It  being  a  very  dark  color  the 
pores  are  white.  It  makes  a  beautiful  finish  on  ash,  well 
adapted  for  grills,  store  fixtures,  novelty  furniture,  and 
is  very  striking. 


380 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


STRATFORD  OAK. 

If  it  is  to  be  produced  with  stains  only,  proceed  as  in  formula 
G.  R.  M.  Standard  Fumed  Oak,  using  four-fifths  as  much  water 
for  second  coat.  Then  fill  with  a  thin  filler  colored  slightly  pink 
with  rose  pink.  This  should  not  fill  the  pores,  but  merely  give 
them  a  pink  shade.  If  to  be  produced  by  aid  of  fuming,  fume 
the  wood  well,  then  oil  with  one  part  raw  oil  and  three  parts 
naphtha.  When  dry,  wipe  off  any  greasy  spots  and  give  coat  of 
stain  made  with  four  ounces  of  No.  13  brown  to  each  gallon  of 
water.  Fill  as  above,  sand  lightly  if  necessary.  Finish  in  wax, 
shellac  if  good  job  is  wanted  and  wax  last,  otherwise  omit  it. 

TOBACCO  BROWN. 

FIRST  COAT  FORMULA: 

Naphthol  Yellow  . 4 

Potassium  Bichromate  . % 

Water  . 8 

SECOND  COAT  FORMULA: 

Walnut  Crystals  . 14 

Mahogany  Brown  . 1% 

Hot  Water . 2 

DIRECTIONS: 

Prepare  the  wood  in  usual  manner  and  give  good  coat  of 
first  coat  stain.  Sand,  apply  second  coat  stain.  If  any  of 
the  grain  is  raised,  sand  very  lightly  (this  may  be  done 
after  the  shellac  has  been  applied,  the  shellac  coat  to  be 
half  white  and  half  brown).  Fill  with  filler  colored  dark 
brown  by  using  Van  Dyke  brown,  ground  in  oil.  Then 
shellac  as  above  given.  Varnish  two  coats  and  rub  dead. 
Some  makers  have  put  out  tobacco  brown  and  finished  it 
as  fumed  oak;  that  is,  without  filling  and  varnishing, 
simply  giving  a  good  wax  coat  on  top  of  the  shellac.  This 
can  be  recognized,  the  stain  coat  remaining  the  same. 

VAN  DYKE  BROWN  (On  Gumwood). 


FORMULA: 

Walnut  Crystals  . 10  ounces 

Black  P.  B . %  ounce 

Lye . %  ounce 

Water  . 2  gallons 

DIRECTIONS: 


To  insure  complete  solution,  dissolve  stain  material  in  hot 
water.  Give  work  one  coat  of  stain.  When  dry  do  not 
sand,  but  rub  with  burlap  or  excelsior.  Apply  two  coats 
of  white  shellac,  giving  the  shellac  a  slight  tint  by  adding 
a  few  drops  of  a  Bismark  brown  solution.  Then  coat  with 
a  good  white  varnish.  Rub  dull,  preferably  oil  rub. 


ounces 

ounce 

gallons 

ounces 
ounces 
gal.  5  pints 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


381 


VERDA  GREEN. 


FIRST  COAT  FORMULA: 

Sulphate  of  Iron,  crystals . 80  grains 

Oxalic  Acid  . 30  grains 

Acid  Green  . . . . . ..30  grains 

Water  . 1  gallon 

SECOND  COAT  FORMULA: 

Gelatine . 4  ounces 

Water  . 1  gallon 

DIRECTIONS: 


This  is  usually  employed  on  gum  wood.  Do  not  sponge  the 
work.  Apply  stain;  when  dry,  apply  second  coat.  Let 
this  dry  24  hours,  then  sand  with  fine  paper.  Apply  one 
coat  of  lacquer.  If  surface  is  not  smooth,  sand  again  and 
wax,  using  a  white  wax. 


CHLORINATED  SODA  SOLUTION 


FORMULA: 

Solution  A: 

Sal  Soda  . . 21  ounces 

Hot  Water  . 40  ounces 

Solution  B: 

Chlorinated  Lime  . 10  ounces 

Water  . . . . . 1  %  pints 

Mix  thoroughly. 

DIRECTIONS: 


Stir  this  mixture  thoroughly,  then  allow  it  to  settle,  and 
pour  off  the  clear  liquid.  To  the  sediment,  add  another 
pint  and  a  half  of  water  and  repeat  the  operation.  After 
this  second  solution  has  settled,  pour  off  the  clear  liquid 
into  the  other  solution,  and  to  the  sediment  add  a  bit 
more  water.  Let  this  filter  into  the  balance  of  the 
chlorinated  solution.  Then  pour  the  two  solutions  to¬ 
gether.  The  result  will  be  a  clear,  pale,  greenish  liquid, 
having  a  faint  odor  of  chlorine  and  a  disagreeable  alkaline 
taste. 

WALNUT  BROWN  FOR  SOFT  WOODS. 


FORMULA: 

Walnut  Crystals  ground . 10  ounces 

Bichromate  of  Potash . %  ounce 

Water  . 1  gallon 


382 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


DIRECTIONS: 

Walnut  stain  for  soft  woods  must  penetrate  the  white 
fibers  so  that  when  the  work  is  sanded  no  light  colored 
spots  appear.  If  stain  does  not  penetrate,  go  over  the 
work  again,  brushing  out  till  color  is  set.  The  finish  is  a 
matter  of  choice,  usually  done  according  to  style  of  work. 
Use  orange  shellac  which  can  be  colored  brown  with  an 
alcohol  soluble  color  such  as  Crysoidine  brown,  or  any 
other  dye  that  will  give  a  brown  tone  to  shellac. 

WALNUT  BROWN  FOR  HARD  WOODS. 


FORMULA: 

Walnut  Crystals  . 12  ounces 

Carbonate  of  Soda  (dried) . %  ounce 

Water  . 1  gallon 

DIRECTIONS: 


Use  hot  water  to  make  a  solution  and  strain  the  same 
when  cool  or  pour  off  clear  liquid.  One  coat  usually  will 
do  the  work.  It  is  a  matter  of  choice  as  to  the  filler. 
On  maple  or  birch  a  thin  filler  should  be  used.  This  shade 
does  not  look  well  on  oak  as  it  resembles  many  other  oak 
finishes.  Therefore,  no  period  or  style  is  produced.  Finish 
in  usual  manner  for  walnut. 

WATER  SOLUBLE  GOLDEN  OAK  STAIN. 


FORMULA: 

Loutre . 3  parts 

Naphthol  Yellow  . 1  part 


Water  sufficient  to  produce  the  desired  shade. 
DIRECTIONS: 

Apply  the  stain,  sand  well.  Prepare  the  filler  with  color¬ 
ing  with  Van  Dyke  brown,  or  if  a  dark  brown  shade  is 
desired,  add  asphaltum  varnish  to  the  filler.  The  results, 
however,  cannot  be  judged  until  after  the  first  coat  of 
shellac  has  been  applied. 

WEATHERED  OAK. 


FIRST  COAT  FORMULA: 

Walnut  Crystals  . 4  ounces 

Water  . 1  gallon 

SECOND  COAT  FORMULA: 

Scarlet  2RL  . %  ounce 

Nigrosine,  Jet  Black . 3  ounces 

Water  . 1  gallon 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 

YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


383 


DIRECTIONS: 

The  first  coat  is  to  be  applied  well  so  as  to  raise  the  grain. 
Then  sand  and  apply  the  second  coat.  This  is  not  sanded 
but  the  shellac  applied;  then  use  white  shellac.  Sand 
lightly  to  get  smooth  surface  and  wax.  This  finish  has 
no  filler  and  should  not  have  too  much  finish. 

Great  latitude  may  be  used  in  the  strength  of  the  stain, 
as  there  are  now  so  many  shades  of  weathered  oak,  but 
the  ingredients  will  produce  any  shade  desired  merely 
requiring  the  change  of  strength. 


WEATHERED  OAK. 

Grand  Rapids  Manufacturers’  Standard. 


FIRST  COAT  FORMULA: 

Walnut  Crystals  . 4  ounces 

Water . . . 1  gallon 

SECOND  COAT  FORMULA: 

Nigrosine,  Jet  Black . 614  drams 

Scarlet  2RL  . . .114  drams 

Water . . . 1  gallon 


DIRECTIONS: 

Apply  first  coat  heavy,  same  to  be  sponging  coat  as  well 
as  coloring.  Sand  smooth,  then  apply  second  coat,  but  do 
not  sand.  Give  one  coat  white  shellac  and  wax.  The 
proportions  in  this  formula  may  be  varied  greatly,  and 
thus  many  delightful  shades  of  weathered  oak  may  be 
obtained. 


WEATHERED  OAK. 

In  this  series  of  formulas  are  brought  out  the  different 
methods  and  schemes  for  the  production  of  weathered  oaks. 
There  is  a  great  variation  of  weathered  oak  shades  and  from 
one  or  another  it  is  hoped  the  artisan  will  get  what  he  wants. 

FORMULA  No.  1: 

After  sponging  the  wood  and  sanding,  stain  with  the  following: 


Nigrosine,  Jet  Black . 1  ounce 

Bichromate  of  Potash . . . 14  ounce 

Walnut  Brown  . 2  ounces 

Water . 1  gallon 


Give  one  coat,  shellac  before  sanding.  When  shellac  is  dry, 
cut  fibers  with  fine  sandpaper,  wax  with  uncolored  wax  so  the 
pores  have  a  grayish  appearance. 


384 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


FORMULA  No.  2: 

After  sponging  the  wood,  apply  a  stain  made  up  as  follows: 


Ground  Walnut  . 4  ounces 

Scarlet  . %  ounce 

Nigrosine,  Jet  Black . 2  ounces 

Water . 1  gallon 


Finish  to  be  the  same  as  first  formula. 

FORMULA  No.  3: 

For  a  higher  grade  of  work,  the  following  formulas  are 
recommended : 

Without  sponging,  give  the  work  a  coat  of  sap  brown,  as 
follows:  Sap  brown,  dissolved  in  hot  water,  four  ounces  to  one 
gallon. 

Applying  the  stain  warm,  sand  and  apply  second  coat  made  of 


Scarlet  . . 1  ounce 

Nigrosine,  Jet  Black . 6  ounces 


This  amount  of  powder  is  to  be  dissolved  in  two  gallons  of 
water.  Coat  the  work,  shellac,  then  cut  the  fibers,  wax. 

FORMULA  No.  4: 

A  formula  which  is  popular  and  might  be  called  a  single  coat 
stain  is  made  up  as  follows  (note  that  is  part  of  the  foregoing 


formula)  : 

Scarlet . 1  ounce 

Nigrosine,  Jet  Black . 6  ounces 

Loutre  . 3  ounces 


Of  the  above  mixture,  dissolve  three  ounces  of  stain  powder 
in  a  gallon  of  water. 

This  formula  is  usually  used  on  the  cheaper  grade  of  work. 
The  work  is  not  sponged  at  all,  the  first  coat  of  very  thin  shellac 
is  put  over  the  stain  and  then  it  is  sanded  just  lightly  enough 
to  cut  any  fibers  that  may  be  penetrating  the  shellac  coat.  The 
wax  is  put  on  with  a  brush,  by  which  you  understand  the  wax  as 
is  ordinarily  supplied  has  been  thinned,  a  little  color  added  to  it 
to  darken  it,  and  when  it  is  set,  rub  to  a  polish. 

FORMULA  No.  5: 

A  very  good  oil  soluble  weathered  oak  stain  can  be  made  as 
follows : 

Oil  Red  . %  ounce 

Oil  Black . 8  ounces 

Oil  Brown  . Vi  ounce 

Dissolve  on  a  water  bath,  turpentine  one  and  one-half  pints. 
When  the  mixture  is  cool,  add 

Benzole  . IV2  pints 

Naphtha  . 1  gallon 


PROBLEMS  OE  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


Use  the  naphtha  for  rinsing  out  the  dishes  so  no  color  will 
be  lost.  Then  add  four  ounces  of  acetone  to  set  the  color. 

A  brownish  shade  of  weathered  oak  can  be  produced  by 
adding  to  the  above  amount  of  colors  two  ounces  of  oil  brown, 
and  using  a  correspondingly  less  amount  of  the  oil  black. 

In  these  oil  formulas  there  is  very  apt  to  be  difficulty  in 
getting  a  good  stain  from  the  fact  that  there  is  so  much  dif¬ 
ference  in  the  shades  of  the  red  and  browns. 

Spirit  weathered  oak  stains  are  made  in  much  the  same  man¬ 
ner,  but  they  are  not  recommended ;  they  are  apt  to  fade.  How¬ 
ever,  there  are  places  where  nothing  else  would  do,  therefore 
we  give  two  other  formulas: 


FORMULA  No.  6: 

Spirit  Black 


.4  ounces 
.1  ounce 
.1  dram 


Spirit  Scarlet 
Auramine  .. .. 
Wood  alcohol 


.1  gallon 


As  this  stain  is  apt  to  lift  when  the  shellac  coat  is  applied, 
the  dissolving  of  spirit  black  in  the  shellac  will  help  to  keep  the 
color  uniform.  Sand  this  coat  of  shellac  lightly  and  then  apply 
the  wax. 

FORMULA  No.  7: 

Spirit  Black  . 4  ounces 

Violet  BB  . 10  grains 

Orange . .2  drams 

Acetone  . 1  ounce 

Alcohol  . . 1  gallon 

It  is  seen  readily  that  black  forms  a  basis  for  this  stain  and 

that  the  other  colors  are  used  solely  for  the  purpose  of  throwing 
the  shade.  It  is  recommended  that  in  making  a  weathered  oak 
stain  you  use  the  black  of  a  standard  uniform  strength,  and  vary 
the  shades  by  the  addition  of  the  other  colors  suggested  from 
the  results  of  the  experiments.  The  same  usual  precautions  are 
necessary.  See  to  it  that  all  the  colors  are  thoroughly  dissolved, 
know  the  strength,  write  it  on  a  label  and  paste  it  on  a  bottle, 
and  then  carefully  note  the  addition  of  each  color.  In  that  way 
your  formula  is  established  as  the  work  proceeds  and  it  is  not 
necessary  to  go  back  and  figure  again  the  quantities  you  have 
employed. 


NEW  STANDARD  FINISHES 

In  1917  Mr.  Schmidt  brought  out  a  standard  finish  for  Amer¬ 
ican  walnut,  red  mahogany,  brown  mahogany,  Jacobean  and 
fumed  oak.  The  finishes  were  demanded  by  many  associations 
and  are  now  in  general  use. 


STANDARD  AMERICAN  WALNUT. 

All  wood  must  be  sponged  and  sanded. 


STAIN  FORMULA: 

Loutre  C  3381 .  1  ounce 

Brown  Mahogany  3982 . %  ounce 

Yellow  II  8903...... . 1  ounce 

Sulphur  Brown  (Swiss) . 12  ounces 

Lye  (Babbitt’s  or  Lewis’) . %  ounce 

Water  . 614  gallons 


DIRECTIONS: 

Give  the  work  a  good  coat  of  this  stain;  when  dry,  a  coat 
of  shellac,  using  about  1  part  of  shellac  to  1  or  2  parts 
of  wood  alcohol.  Then  sand  (before  filling  with  fine  or 
old  sandpaper.  Filling  to  be  colored  with  Van  Dyke 
brown  or  made  as  near  the  color  of  the  wood  as  possible. 
If  the  work  should  be  too  light  after  filling,  stain  it  with 
the  same  stain  before  shellacing.  Use  half  white  and 
half  orange  shellac  and  two  or  three  coats  of  varnish. 
Rulb  dull  with  oil. 


STANDARD  AMERICAN  MAHOGANY. 


FORMULA: 

Bichromate  of  Potash . 2  ounces 

Lye  (Babbitt’s  or  Lewis’) . %  ounce 

Brown  Mahogany  No.  909 . 3%  ounces 

Scarlet  2  R.  B . %  ounce 

Nigrosine  Black  T . %  ounce 

Water  . 1%  gallons 


DIRECTIONS: 

First  give  the  work  a  good  coat  of  this  stain;  when  dry, 
sand  with  fine  or  old  sandpaper.  Filling  to  be  colored 
with  Van  Dyke  brown  and  Rose  Pink.  When  filling  is 
dry,  give  it  a  thin  coat  of  orange  shellac,  two  or  three 
coats  of  varnish.  Rub  dull. 


STANDARD  BROWN  MAHOGANY. 

STAIN  FORMULA: 

Bichromate  of  Potash . 12  ounces 

Lye  . %  ounce 

Loutre  C-3381  . 12  ounces 

Mahogany  H  9844 . 1  ounce 

Or  3  drams  Red;  5  drams  Brown) 


385b 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


Black  Nigrosine  T . 2  ounces 

Water  . 10  gallons 


DIRECTIONS: 

Give  the  work  a  good  coat  of  this  stain;  when  dry,  apply 
shellac,  using  one  part  of  orange  shellac  to  two  or  three 
parts  of  alcohol.  Then  sand  with  very  fine  or  old  sand¬ 
paper.  Fill  with  filler  colored  with  Van  Dyke  Brown. 
Then  shellac  with  equal  parts  or  orange  and  white 
shellac.  Finish  with  two  or  three  coats  of  varnish. 
Rub  dull. 

STANDARD  JACOBEAN. 


FORMULA: 

H  1220  Oil  Soluble..— . IV2  ounces 

Benzole  . 8  ounces 

Burnt  Umber  Mixture . 2%  ounces 

Lamp  Black  ground  in  oil . 4  ounces 

Turpentine  . 1  pint 


Naphtha,  enough  to  make  a  good  V2  gallon. 
DIRECTIONS: 

First  see  that  the  work  is  sanded  smooth.  Then  give  the 
work  a  light  coat  of  this  stain,  using  a  fitch  brush  for 
applying,  and  use  a  soft  brush  to  lay  it  off  (2%  or  3-inch 
chiseled  ox-hair).  The  next  day,  highlight,  using  a  very 
fine  or  old  sandpaper.  Then  give  a  coat  of  half  orange 
and  half  white  shellac,  sand  lightly  and  give  a  coat  of 
fiat  finish,  or  2  or  3  coats  shellac  and  oil;  rub  lightly. 

BURNT  UMBER  MIXTURE: 

1  pound  color  ground  in  oil  with 
1  quart  Turpentine. 


STANDARD  FUMED  OAK. 

STAIN  METHOD. 

Give  the  work  a  coat  of  the  stain  made  by  dissolving  % 
ounce  of  Dried  Carbonate  of  Soda  and  V2  ounce  of  Bichromate 
of  Potash  in  1  gallon  of  water.  Then  dry,  sand  and  oil  the 
work,  using  1  pint  of  Boiled  Oil,  pint  Japan  and  3  pints  of 
Naphtha.  Rub  dry  with  rags  or  cloth. 

The  next  day  give  the  work  a  coat  of  No.  2  stain,  using 
a  fitch  brush  for  applying.  When  dry,  give  1  or  2  coats  of  thin 
shellac,  or  if  preferred,  1  good  coat.  Sandpaper  and  wax. 

FORMULA:  For  Second  Coat — 


Jet  Black  . Y2  ounce 

Walnut  Crystals  . 3%  ounces 

Mahogany  Stain  Sol . 2  ounces 

Concentrated  Ammonia  . 4  ounces 

Water  . 1  gallon 


MAHOGANY  SOLUTION:  Made  by  Dissolving— 


IV2  ounces . . . Stain  No.  9844  in 

1  quart  . _...  Water 


Or 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


385c 


114  ounces . . . Mahogany  Brown  and 

1%  ounces . Mahogany  Red  in 

1  gallon  . Water 


FINISHES  FOR  INLAYS. 

To  produce  absolutely  fast-to-light  colors  on  inlay  wood  and 
to  dye  them  so  the  color  will  have  completely  penetrated,  the 
application  of  the  following  formulas  as  a  base  from  which  to 
work  will  serve  not  only  to  establish  the  one  color,  as  produced 
by  the  formula,  but  by  varying  the  amount  of  dyestuffs,  differ¬ 
ent  shades  may  be  obtained  according  to  the  difference  in  the 
amount  of  actual  color  employed.  It  will  be  noted  by  the  oper¬ 
ator  that  heat  is  employed,  but  it  must  be  remembered  that 
inlay  wood  need  only  to  be  immersed  in  the  dye  solutions  until 
the  dye  has  thoroughly  penetrated  the  fiber  of  the  wood. 

TO  PRODUCE  EBONY: 

6  parts  Chrome  Black  LJ 

Top  with  1%  parts  of  Chrome  made  of  Soda,  or 
6  parts  Chrome  Black  LB 

Top  with  1%  parts  of  Chrome  made  of  Soda. 

METHOD: 

Make  up  the  bath  with  the  color  and  6  parts  of  acetic 
acid  (30  per  cent  commercial).  Enter  the  wood  cold;  heat 
slowly  and  dye  at  a  gentle  boil  until  the  wood  has  been 
penetrated,  then  add  the  bichromate  of  soda,  and  con¬ 
tinue  heat  to  a  gentle  boil  for  about  30  minutes.  The 
amount  of  water  can  largely  be  governed  by  the  size  of 
tank  and  bulkiness  of  the  wood. 

OTHER  SHADES  OF  BLACK: 

6  parts  of  Acid  Black  No.  1,  or 
6  parts  of  Acid  Black  No.  2,  or 
6  parts  of  Napthol  Black  B,  or 
6  parts  of  Acid  Black  10-B. 

METHOD: 

Same  as  above  without  employing  the  Chromate  of  Soda. 

TO  PRODUCE  PEARL  GRAY: 

1  part  of  Nigrosine  OP 
4  parts  of  Sulphuric  Acid  and 
10  parts  of  Glauber  Salts  (Sulphate  of  Soda) 

Enter  the  wood  to  be  dyedi  cold,  and  increase  the  temper¬ 
ature  until  the  color  has  penetrated  the  wood.  Remove 
and  rinse  in  clear  water;  lay  out  to  dry. 

TO  PRODUCE  SILVER  GRAY: 

Same  method,  using  1  part  of  Nigrosine  J. 

TO  PRODUCE  ASH  GRAY: 

4  parts  of  Nigrosine  JD 
8  parts  of  Sulphuric  Acid 
40  parts  of  Glauber  Salts  or  Sulphate  of  Soda. 

Use  the  same  method  as  employed  to  produce  Pearl  Gray. 


385d 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


TO  PRODUCE  BLUE  GRAY: 

4  parts  of  Fast  Blue  (Induline) 

8  parts  of  Sulphuric  Acid 

40  parts  of  Glauber  Salts  or  Sulphate  of  Soda. 

And  the  same  method  as  employed  to  produce  Ash  Gray. 

TO  PRODUCE  NAVY  BLUE: 

2  parts  of  Alkali  Blue  (Nicholson) 

5  parts  of  Borax 

Immerse  cold  and  bring  to  a  bcil 

Employing  the  same  method  and  formula  as  Standard  blue. 
It  usually  requires  about  40  minutes;  the  boiling  should 
be  gentle.  As  soon  as  the  color  has  penetrated  the  wood, 
lift  out  the  wood  and  immerse  in  second  bath  of  cold 
water  to  which  has  been  added  four  parts  of  the  original 
formula  in  sulphuric  acid.  For  example,  if  the  parts  were 
called  ounces,  it  would  mean  approximately  one  ounce 
to  every  two  or  three  gallons  of  water.  It  is  the  amount 
of  material  present  in  the  water  that  does  the  work,  the 
amount  of  water  being  governed  by  the  size  of  the  ma¬ 
terial  to  be  colored. 

TO  PRODUCE  NAVY  BLUE  (Violet  tone): 

2  parts  of  Alkali  Violet,  concentrated 
5  parts  of  Borax 

And  same  procedure  as  navy  blue. 

TO  PRODUCE  STANDARD  BLUE: 

2  parts  of  Blue  R 
64  parts  of  Sulphuric  Acid 
160partsofGlauber  Salts 

Water  as  required,  not  less  than  10  gallons. 

Immerse  the  wood  cold.  Increase  the  heat  and  tempera¬ 
ture  slowly  until  the  color  has  penetrated. 

TO  PRODUCE  OTHER  BLUES: 

2  parts  of  Blue  R,  or  2  parts  of  Blue  SBX,  or 

2  parts  of  Blue  2B,  or  2  parts  of  Water  Blue 

2  parts  of  Blue  3B,  or 

A  series  of  Peacock  blues  are  made  by  using  one  part  of 
Patent  blue,  or 
2  parts  of  Patent  blue,  or 

1  part  of  Azurino,  or 

2  parts  of  Azurino  with 

4  parts  of  Sulphuric  Acid  and 
10  parts  of  Glauber  Salts 

And  following  the  general  method  as  for  Pearl  Gray. 

TO  PRODUCE  EMERALD  GREEN: 

1%  parts  of  Acid  Green  2BX 

TO  PRODUCE  EMERALD  GREEN  (Dark): 

3  parts  of  Acid  Green  2BX 

TO  PRODUCE  OTHER  SHADES  OF  GREEN: 

IV2  parts  of  Acid  Green  2GX,  and  a  darker  shade 
3  parts  of  Acid  Green  2GX 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


385e 


In  the  production  of  these  greens,  the  same  procedure 
is  followed  as  in  the  blues,  namely,  to  use  four  parts  of 
sulphuric  acid  in  ten  parts  of  Glauber  salts.  In  no  case 
shall  the  water  be  less  than  ten  gallons. 

Each  individual  case  will  need  the  establishment  of  the 
operative  formula  to  be  made  from  the  above  keys,  ac¬ 
cording  to  the  size  of  the  vat  or  tank  employed.  Wooden 
vats  will  answer,  the  heat  being  applied  by  steam  coils. 
The  general  idea  is  to  give  sufficient  information  so  as 
to  enable  the  woodworker  to  have  the  fundamentals. 

Relative  to  the  dye  materials,  some  of  them  may  be  still 
difficult  to  obtain,  but  we.  are  slowly,  but  surely,  ap¬ 
proaching  that  period  where  our  own  market  will  give 
us  all  requirements. 


TO  PRODUCE  ORANGE: 


Crocein  Orange .  3  Lbs. 

Sulphuric  Acid . 4  Lbs. 

Glauber  Salts . 10  Lbs. 


Water  sufficient  to  make  a  bath  sufficient  to  immerse  the 
wood,  which  may  be  left  in  this  bath  until  the  dye  is 
exhausted  or  required  shade  is  obtained.  Temperature 
should  be  gradually  raised  to  within  boiling. 

The  other  shades  of  Orange  which  are  to  follow,  and 
which  are  made  with  the  same  formula  but  produce  other 
shades  of  Orange  are  as  follows: 

Orange  A 
Orange  Y 

Orange  R  or  Orange  RR. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  the  formula  is  identical  and  for 
small  quantities  it  can  be  changed  to  read  parts  instead 
of  pounds,  and  a  part  may  be  called  a  drahm,  an  ounce, 
or  a  number  of  ounces,  as  long  as  the  formula  is  continued 
in  the  same  proportion. 

Pale  shades  of  Orange  may  be  made  by  decreasing  the 
amount  of  dye  stuff  employed. 

A  series  of  Orange  shades  may  be  obtained  by  the  use 

of  the  following  formula: 

3  lbs.  of  Acetic  Acid,  which  should  be  Commercial  30%, 
and  the  requisite  amount  of  dye  stuff  as  given  below, 
entering  the  wood  cold,  and  bringing  the  bath  to  a  gentle 
boil,  continue  this  for  about  fifteen  minutes  or  until  the 
bath  is  exhausted. 


AMOUNT  OF  COLOR  REQUIRED: 


Eosine  3  J,  %  pound,  or 
Eosine  3J,  1  pound 
Eosine  J,  %  pound,  or 
Eosine  J,  1  pound 
Eosine  PB,  %  pound,  or 


Eosine  PB,  1  pound 
Eosine  XX  Crystal,  %  lb. 
or  Eosine  XX  Crystal,  1  lb. 
Erythrosine  J,  %  lb.,  or 
Erythrosine  J,  1  lb. 


In  the  listing  of  the  foregoing  be  it  understood  that  each 
enumeration  completes  a  distinct  formula  for  the  bath. 


385f 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


TO  PRODUCE  PINK: 

Rose  Bengal . %  ib.(  or 

a  darker  shade, 

Rose  Belgal . .  1  lb., 

using  the  Acetic  Acid  bath. 

The  pale  pink,  such  as  the  wild  rose,  is  made  in  a  neutral- 
bath,  using  Rhodamine  BX  only  in  whatever  strength  is 
desired,  immersing  in  hot  water  and  continuing  at  a  gentle 
boil  from  thirty  to  forty  minutes. 

TO  PRODUCE  SCARLETS: 

The  bath  is  built  by  using 

Sulphuric  Acid . 4  lbs. 

Glauber  Salts . 10  lbs. 

to  which  proportion  use  dyestuff  as  follows:  Each  listing 
constituting  a  formula  when  added  to  the  above  chemicals 
and  the  requisite  amount  of  water. 

Scarlet  2  RL . 3  lbs. 

Scarlet  3  RL .  3  lbs. 

Scarlet  4  R  Brilliant .  3  lbs. 

Croseine  Scarlet  MOO .  3  lbs. 

Croseine  Scarlet  4B .  3  lbs 

Croseine  Scarlet  9B .  3  lbs. 

Croseine  Scarlet  10B .  3  lbs. 

TO  PRODUCE  BRILLIANT  RED: 

Azo  Rubine . 3  lbs. 

TO  PRODUCE  A  BLOOD  RED: 

Amaranth  . 3  lbs. 

TO  PRODUCE  A  CARDINAL  RED: 

Bordeaux  B .  3  lbs. 

The  various  shades  of  violet  or  purple  are  produced  by 

Acid  Violet  4  BNS .  2  lbs. 

using  the  Sulphuric  Acid  Soda  base,  varying  the  amount 
of  dye  stuffs  producing  other  shades. 

TO  PRODUCE  LAVENDERS  AND  DARKER  SHADES: 

Fast  Blue . 26  ounces 

Napthol  Yellow.  . . 1%  ounces  or 

Acid  Violet  4  BNS . . ^ . 10  ounces 

Fast  Acid  Violet .  . 10  ounces 

employing  the  Sulphuric  Acid  Soda  base. 

Varying  of  the  dye  stuffs  gives  the  different  tones  of 
lavender  and  heliotrope. 

TO  PRODUCE  RUSSET  SHADE: 

Yellow  MXX  Concentrated . . 14%  ounces 

Nigrosine  OP .  %  ounce 

Fast  Red  S .  1  ounce 

TO  PRODUCE  GOLDEN  BROWN: 

Orange  2R . 13%  ounces 

Nigrosine  OP . - . - .  1  ounce 

Yellow  M  XX  Concentrated . 1%  ounce 


, 

, 

FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 

YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


■ 

/ 

FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS  385g 


TO  PRODUCE  VARIOUS  SHADES  OF  BROWN: 

Orange  Y . . . 14  ounces 

Nigrosine  OP  . . .  6  ounces 


Changing  of  the  proportion  will  enable  the  operator  to 
produce  the  various  shades  of  brown. 

From  these  formulas  for  dyeing  wood,  only  the  regular 
shades  are  produced.  The  operator  will  know  that  the 
admixture  of  the  different  dyestuffs  in  their  regular  classi¬ 
fication  will  enable  him  to  produce  the  hundreds  of  other 
shades  possible  by  the  addition  of  more  or  less  color 
material.  The  only  care  that  must  be  exercised  is  not  to 
use  a  dye  material  recommended  with  acetic  acid  in  the 
sulphuric  glauber  salt  bath.  The  operator  will  further 
notice  that  the  amount  of  water  employed  is  left  to  his 
discretion.  For  instance,  where  large  quantities  of  wood 
are  to  be  dyed  the  color  material  can  be  exhausted  or 
dyeing  continued  until  the  desired  shades  are  no  longer 
obtained. 


SHOP  NOTES. 

Use  shellac  in  thin  coats. 

A  little  yellow  added  to  a  black  will  “jet  it,”  that  is,  make 
a  jet  black  color. 

If  necessary  to  thin  varnish,  pure  turpentine  only  should  be 
used.  Oils  or  other  varnishes  should  never  be  used. 

Never  put  a  coat  of  shellac  between  two  coats  of  varnish. 
This  makqs  a  very  brittle  finish,  one  that  is  sure  to  crack  in  time. 

Fillers  generally  set  in  20  to  30  minutes  and  should  then 
be  cleaned  off.  Excelsior  or  waste  may  be  used.  Always  clean 
off  “cross”  the  grain,  never  “with”  the  grain. 

If  white  shellac  is  not  soluble  in  alcohol,  moisten  the  shellac 
with  a  quarter  of  its  weight  of  ether,  and  let  soak  for  a  time. 
The  solubility  will  then  be  completely  restored. 

A  coat  of  shellac  should  always  be  used  between  the  stain 
coat  and  filler.  This  prevents  the  filler  from  mingling  with  the 
stain,  which  would  produce  a  cloudy  or  muddy  effect. 

Filler  is  simply  intended  to  fill  the  large  pores  in  open¬ 
grained  woods,  which  produces  a  perfectly  smooth  working  sur¬ 
face  upon  which  to  apply  the  finishing  coats.  Sometimes,  how¬ 
ever,  a  colored  filler  is  used  to  get  certain  color  effects. 

When  oil  stains  are  employed,  the  filler  should  be  applied 
first.  If  this  is  not  done,  when  the  filler  is  cleaned  off,  some  of 
the  stain  will  go  with  it,  and  produce  uneven,  or  blotchy  work. 

If  varnish  becomes  “specky”  after  it  has  been  applied,  it  is 
often  due  to  the  fact  that  it  has  become  chilled.  The  specks 
look  like  bits  of  undissolved  gum,  but  this  is  not  the  case,  as  the 
effect  is  caused  by  the  congealing  of  the  oil  in  the  varnish. 

If  shellac  turns  white  under  varnish,  the  finish  may  gener¬ 
ally  be  restored  by  gently  applying  alcohol.  This  soaks  through 
the  varnish  coat,  and  re-dissolves  the  shellac.  After  this  is  ac¬ 
complished,  gently  apply  linseed  oil.  Let  dry  thoroughly,  and 
then  rub  down  and  give  one  coat  of  good  varnish. 

Remember,  the  best  filler  is  made  of  silex,  oil,  dryers,  a  little 
varnish  or  Japan  dryer  and  the  color  pigment.  If  you  have  trou¬ 
ble  with  “pitting”  of  the  pores,  very  likely  it  is  due  to  an  inferior 
filler  made  with  whiting  or  some  such  material,  which  shrinks 
when  dry,  drawing  the  oil  out  of  the  varnish,  and  causing  minute 
holes. 


_ PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 

YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


\ 

■ 

. 

:  -  • 


CHAPTER  LXX. 


LIQUID  GLUES. 


FORMULA: 
1.  Glue  .. 


Gelatin  . 3 

Acetic  Acid . 4 

Water . 2 

Alum  . 30 

Heat  together  for  six  hours,  skim,  and  add 


ounces 

ounces 

ounces 

ounces 

grains 


2. 


Alcohol . 

Brown  Glue  No.  2. 
Sodium  Carbonate 

Water  . 

Oil  of  Cloves . . 


. 1  fluid  ounce 

. 2  pounds 

...11  ounces 
.3%  pints 
.160  minims 


DIRECTIONS: 

Dissolve  the  soda  in  the  water,  pour  solution  over  the  dry 
glue,  let  stand  over  night  or  till  thoroughly  soaked  and 
swelled;  then  heat  carefully  on  a  water  bath  until  dis¬ 
solved.  When  nearly  cold  stir  in  the  oil  of  cloves.  By 
using  white  glue,  a  finer  article,  fit  for  fancy  work,  may 
be  made.  Or 

Dissolve  by  heating  60  parts  of  borax  in  420  parts  of 
water,  add  480  parts  dextrin  (pale  yellow)  and  50  parts 
of  glocuse  and  heat  carefully  with  continued  stirring,  to 
complete  solution;  replace  the  evaporated  water  and  pour 
through  flannel.  The  glue  made  in  this  way  remains  cleat 
quite  a  long  time,  and  possesses  great  adhesive  power;  it 
also  dries  very  quickly,  but  upon  careless  and  extended 
heating  above  90  degrees  C.  (194  degrees  F.),  it  is  apt  to 
turn  brown  and  brittle.  Or 

Pour  50  parts  of  warm  (not  hot)  water  over  50  parts  of 
Cologne  glue  and  allow  to  soak  over  night.  Next  day  the 
swelled  glue  is  dissolved  with  moderate  heat,  and  if  still 
too  thick,  a  little  more  water  is  added.  When  this  is  done, 
add  from  two  and  one-half  to  three  parts  of  crude  nitric 
acid,  stir  well  and  fill  the  liquid  glue  in  well-corked  bot¬ 
tles.  This  is  a  good  liquid  steam  glue.  Or 
Soak  one  pound  of  good  glue  in  a  quart  of  water  for  a 
few  hours,  then  melt  the  glue  by  heating  it,  together  with 
the  unabsorbed  water,  then  stir  in  one-fourth  pound  dry 
white  lead,  and  when  that  is  well  mixed  pour  in  four  fluid 
ounces  of  alcohol  and  continue  the  boiling  five  minutes 
longer.  Or 


388 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


Soak  one  pound  of  good  glue  in  one  and  one-half  pints  of 
cold  water  for  five  hours,  then  add  three  ounces  of  zinc 
sulphate  and  two  fluid  ounces  of  hydrochloric  acid,  and 
keep  the  mixture  heated  for  10  or  12  hours  at  175  degrees 
to  190  degrees  F.  The  glue  remains  liquid  and  may  be 
used  for  sticking  a  variety  of  materials. 

A  very  inexpensive  liquid  glue  may  be  prepared  by  first 
soaking  and  then  dissolving  gelatin  in  twice  its  own 
weight  of  water  at  a  very  gentle  heat;  then  add  glacial 
acetic  acid  in  weight  equal  to  the  weight  of  the  dry 
gelatin.  It  should  be  remembered,  however,  that  all  acid 


glues  are  not  generally  applicable. 

FORMULA: 

Glue  . 200  parts 

Dilute  Acetic  Acid . 400  parts 

Dissolve  by  the  aid  of  heat  and  add: 

Alcohol  . 25  parts 

Alum  . 5  parts 

FORMULA: 

Glue  . 5  parts 

Calcium  Chloride  . 1  part 

Water . 1  part 

FORMULA: 

Sugar  of  Lead . IV2  drams 

Alum  . IV2  drams 

Gum  Arabic  . 2%  drams 

Wheat  Flour . 1  av.  lb. 

Water,  q.  s. 


Dissolve  the  gum  in  two  parts  of  warm  water;  when  cold 
mix  in  the  flour,  and  add  the  sugar  of  lead  and  alum  dis¬ 
solved  in  water;  heat  the  whole  over  a  slow  fire  until  it 
shows  signs  of  ebullition.  Let  it  cool,  and  add  enough 
gum  water  to  bring  it  to  the  proper  consistency.  Or 
Dilute  one  part  of  official  phosphoric  acid  with  two  parts 
of  water  and  neutralize  the  solution  with  carbonate  of 
ammonium.  Add  to  the  liquid  an  equal  quantity  of  water, 
warm  it  on  a  water  bath,  and  dissolve  in  it  sufficient  glue 
to  form  a  thick  syrupy  liquid.  Keep  in  well-stoppered 
bottles.  Or 

Dissolve  three  parts  of  glue  in  small  pieces  in  12  to  15  of 
saccharate  of  lime.  By  heating,  the  glue  dissolves  rapidly 
and  remains  liquid,  when  cold,  without  loss  of  adhesive 
power.  Any  desirable  consistency  can  be  secured  by  vary¬ 
ing  the  amount  of  saccharate  of  lime.  Thick  glue  retains 
its  muddy  color,  while  a  thin  solution  becomes  clear  on 
standing.  The  saccharate  of  lime  is  prepared  by  dissolv- 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 

YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


389 


ing  one  part  of  sugar  in  three  parts  of  water,  and  after 
adding  one-fourth  part  of  the  weight  of  the  sugar  of 
slaked  lime,  heating  the  whole  from  149  to  185  degrees  F., 
allowing  it  to  macerate  for  several  days,  shaking  it  fre¬ 
quently.  The  solution,  which  has  the  properties  of 
mucilage,  is  then  decanted  from  the  sediment. 

In  a  solution  of  borax  in  water  soak  a  good  quantity  of 
glue  until  it  has  thoroughly  imbibed  the  liquid.  Pour  off 
the  surplus  solution  and  then  put  on  the  water  bath  and 
melt  the  glue.  Cool  down  until  the  glue  begins  to  set, 
then  add,  drop  by  drop,  with  agitation,  enough  acetic  acid 
to  check  the  tendency  to  solidification.  If,  after  becoming 
quite  cold,  there  is  still  a  tendency  to  solidification,  add  a 
few  drops  more  of  the  acid.  The  liquid  should  be  of  the 
consistency  of  ordinary  mucilage  at  all  times. 


FORMULA: 

Gelatin  . 100  parts 

Cabinetmakers’  Glue . . . 100  parts 

Alcohol  . 25  parts 

Alum  . 2  parts 

Acetic  Acid,  20  per  cent . 800  parts 

DIRECTIONS: 


Soak  the  gelatin  and  glue  with  the  acetic  acid  and  heat 
on  a  water  bath  until  fluid ;  then  add  the  alum  and  alcohol. 


FORMULA: 

Glue  . . . 10  parts 

Water . . . . . 15  parts 

Sodium  Salicylate  . v . 1  part 


GLUE  FOR  CELLULOID. 

1.  Two  parts  shellac,  three  parts  spirits  of  camphor,  and 
four  parts  strong  alcohol  dissolved  in  a  warm  place,  give  an 
excellent  gluing  agent  to  fix  wood,  tin,  and  other  bodies  to  cellu¬ 
loid.  The  glue  must  be  kept  well  corked. 

2.  A  collodion  solution  may  be  used,  or  an  alcoholic  solution 
of  fine  celluloid  shavings. 

WATER-PROOF  GLUES. 

The  glue  is  put  in  water  till  it  is  soft,  and  subsequently 
melted  in  linseed  oil  at  moderate  heat.  This  glue  is  affected 
neither  by  water  nor  by  vapors. 

Dissolve  a  small  quantity  of  sandarac  and  mastic  in  a  little 
alcohol,  and  add  a  little  turpentine.  The  solution  is  boiled  in  a 
kettle  over  the  fire,  and  an  equal  quantity  of  a  strong  hot 
solution  of  glue  and  isinglass  is  added.  Then  filter  through  a 
cloth  while  hot. 


390 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


Waterproof  glue  may  also  be  produced  by  the  simple  addition 
of  bichromate  of  potassium  to  the  liquid  glue  solution,  and  sub¬ 
sequent  exposure  to  the  air. 

Mix  glue  as  usual,  and  then  add  linseed  oil  in  the  proportion 
of  one  part  oil  to  eight  parts  glue.  If  it  is  desired  that  the 
mixture  remain  liquid,  one-half  ounce  of  nitric  acid  should  be 
added  to  every  pound  of  glue.  This  will  also  prevent  the  glue 
from  souring. 

In  1,000  parts  of  rectified  alcohol  dissolve  60  parts  of  san- 
darac  and  as  much  mastic,  whereupon  add  60  parts  of  white  oil 
of  turpentine.  Next,  prepare  a  rather  strong  glue  solution  and 
add  about  the  like  quantity  of  isinglass,  heating  the  solution 
until  it  commences  to  boil ;  then  slowly  add  the  hot  glue  solution 
till  a  thin  paste  forms,  which  can  still  be  filtered  through  a  cloth. 
Heat  the  solution  before  use  and  employ  like  ordinary  glue.  A 
connection  effected  with  this  glue  is  not  dissolved  by  cold  water 
and  even  resists  hot  water  for  a  long  time. 

Soak  1,000  parts  of  Cologne  glue  in  cold  water  for  12  hours 
and  in  another  vessel  for  the  same  length  of  time  150  parts 
isinglass  in  a  mixture  of  lamp  spirit  and  water.  Then  dissolve 
both  masses  together  on  the  water  bath  in  a  suitable  vessel,  thin¬ 
ning  if  necessary,  with  some  hot  water.  Next  add  100  parts  of 
linseed  oil  varnish  and  filter  hot  through  linen. 

Ordinary  glue  is  kept  in  water  until  it  swells  up  without 
losing  its  shape.  Thus  softened  it  is  placed  in  an  iron  crucible 
without  adding  water;  then  add  linseed  oil  according  to  the 
quantity  of  the  glue  and  leave  this  mixture  to  boil  over  a  slow 
fire  until  a  gelatinous  mass  results.  Such  glue  unites  materials 
in  a  very  durable  manner.  It  adheres  firmly  and  hardens  quickly. 
Its  chief  advantage,  however,  consists  in  that  it  neither  absorbs 
water  nor  allows  it  to  pass  through,  whereby  the  connecting 
places  are  often  destroyed.  A  little  borax  will  prevent  putre¬ 
faction. 

Bichromate  of  potassium  40  parts,  by  weight,  gelatin  glue 
55  parts,  alum  five  parts.  Dissolve  the  glue  in  a  little  water  and 
add  the  bichromate  of  potassium  and  the  alum. 

This  preparation  permits  an  absolutely  permanent  gluing  of 
pieces  of  cardboard,  even  when  they  are  moistened  by  water. 
Melt  together  equal  parts  of  good  pitch  and  gutta  percha;  of  this 
take  nine  parts,  and  add  to  it  three  parts  of  boiled  linseed  oil 
and  one  and  one-half  parts  of  litharge.  Place  this  over  the  fire 
and  stir  it  till  all  the  ingredients  are  intimately  mixed.  The 
mixture  may  be  diluted  with  a  little  benzine  or  oil  of  turpentine, 
and  must  be  warm  when  used. 

GLUE  FOR  PAPER  AND  METAL. 

A  glue  which  will  keep  well  and  adhere  tightly  is  obtained  by 
diluting  1,000  parts,  by  weight,  of  potato  starch,  in  1,200  parts, 
by  weight,  of  water,  and  adding  50  parts,  by  weight,  of  pure  nitric 
acid.  The  mixture  is  kept  in  a  hot  place  for  48  hours,  taking 
care  to  stir  frequently.  It  is  afterwards  boiled  to  a  thick  and 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


391 


transparent  consistency,  diluted  with  water  if  there  is  occasion, 
and  then  there  are  added  in  the  form  of  a  screened  powder,  two 
parts  of  sal  ammoniac  and  one  part  of  sulphur  flowers. 

GLUE  FOR  LEATHER  ON  CARDBOARD. 

To  attach  leather  to  cardboard,  dissolve  a  good  glue  (softened 
by  swelling  in  water)  with  a  little  turpentine  and  enough  water 
in  an  ordinary  glue  pot,  and  then  having  made  a  thick  paste 
with  starch  in  the  proportion  of  two  parts,  by  weight,  of  starch 
powder  for  every  one  part,  by  weight,  of  dry  glue ;  mix  the  com¬ 
pounds  and  allow  the  mixture  to  become  cold  before  application 
to  the  cardboard. 

FOR  WOOD,  GLASS,  METALS,  MINERALS. 

Take  boiled  linseed  oil  20  parts,  Flemish  glue  20  parts, 
hydrated  lime  15  parts,  powdered  turpentine  five  parts,  alum 
five  parts,  acetic  acid  five  parts.  Dissolve  the  glue  with  the 
acetic  acid,  add  the  alum,  then  the  hydrated  lime,  and  finally 
the  turpentine  and  the  boiled  linseed  oil.  Triturate  all  well  until 
it  forms  a  homogeneous  paste  and  keep  in  well-closed  flasks. 
Use  like  any  other  glue. 

GLUE  FOR  UNITING  METALS  WITH  FABRICS. 

Cologne  glue  of  good  quality  is  soaked  and  boiled  down  to  the 
consistency  of  that  used  by  cabinetmakers.  Then  add,  with 
constant  stirring,  sifted  wood  ashes  until  a  moderately  thick 
homogeneous  mass  results.  Use  hot  and  press  the  pieces  well 
together  during  the  drying.  For  tinfoil  about  2  per  cent  of 
boracic  acid  should  be  added  instead  of  the  wood  ashes. 

BELT  GLUE. 

A  glue  for  belts  can  be  prepared  as  follows:  Soak  50  parts 
of  gelatin  in  water,  pour  off  the  excess  of  water,  and  heat  on 
the  water  bath.  With  good  stirring  add,  first,  five  parts,  by 
weight,  of  glycerine;  then  10  parts,  by  weight,  of  turpentine; 
and  five  parts,  by  weight,  of  linseed  oil  varnish  and  thin  with 
water  as  required.  The  ends  of  the  belts  to  be  glued  are  cut  off 
obliquely  and  warmed;  then  the  hot  glue  is  applied,  and  the 
united  parts  are  subjected  to  strong  pressure,  allowing  them  to 
dry  thus  for  24  hours  before  the  belts  are  used. 

MARINE  GLUE. 

Marine  glue  is  a  product  consisting  of  shellac  and  catechu, 
which  is  mixed  differently  according  to  the  use  for  which  it  is 
required.  The  quantity  of  benzol  used  as  solvent  governs  the 
hardness  or  softness  of  the  glue. 

1.  One  part  Para  catechu  is  dissolved  in  12  parts  benzol; 
20  parts  powdered  shellac  are  added  to  the  solution,  and  the 
mixture  is  carefully  heated. 


392 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


2.  Stronger  glue  is  obtained  by  dissolving  10  parts  good 
crude  catechu  in  120  parts  benzine  or  naphtha  which  solution 
is  poured  slowly  and  in  a  fine  stream  into  20  parts  asphaltum 
melted  in  a  kettle,  stirring  constantly  and  heating.  Pour  the 
finished  glue,  after  the  solvent  has  almost  evaporated  and  the 
mass  has  become  quite  uniform,  into  flat  molds,  in  which  it 
solidifies  in  very  hard  tablets  of  dark  brown  or  black  color.  For 
use,  these  glue  tablets  are  first  soaked  in  boiling  water  and  then 
heated  over  a  free  flame  until  the  marine  glue  has  become  thinly 
liquid.  The  pieces  to  be  glued  are  also  warmed  and  a  very  dur¬ 
able  union  is  obtained. 

3.  Cut  catechu  into  small  pieces  and  dissolve  in  coal 
naphtha  by  heat  and  agitation.  Add  to  this  solution  powdered 
shellac,  and  heat  the  whole,  constantly  stirring  until  combina¬ 
tion  takes  place,  then  pour  it  on  metal  plates  to  form  sheets. 
When  used  it  must  be  heated  to  248  degrees  F.  and  applied  with 
a  brush. 

CEMENT  TO  ATTACH  OBJECTS  TO  GLASS. 


FORMULA: 

Rosin  . 1  part 

Yellow  Wax  . 2  parts 


Melt  together. 

TO  ATTACH  COPPER  TO  GLASS. 

Boil  one  part  of  caustic  soda  and  three  parts  of  colophony 
in  five  parts  of  water  and  mix  with  the  like  quantity  of 
plaster  of  Paris.  This  cement  is  not  attacked  by  water, 
heat,  or  petroleum.  If,  in  place  of  the  plaster  of  Paris, 
zinc  white,  white  lead,  or  slaked  lime  is  used,  the  cement 
hardens  more  slowly. 

TO  FASTEN  BRASS  UPON  GLASS. 

Boil  together  one  part  of  caustic  soda,  three  parts  of 
rosin,  three  parts  of  gypsum,  and  five  parts  of  water. 
The  cement  made  in  this  way  hardens  in  about  half  an 
hour,  hence  it  must  be  applied  quickly.  During  the 
preparation  it  should  be  stirred  constantly.  All  the 
ingredients  used  must  be  in  finely  powdered  state. 

TO  CEMENT  GLASS  TO  IRON. 


FORMULA: 

1.  Rosin  . 5  ounces 

Yellow  Wax  . 1  ounce 

Venetian  Red  . 1  ounce 

2.  Portland  Cement  . 2  ounces 

Prepared  Chalk  . 1  ounce 

Fine  Sand  . 1  ounce 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


I 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


393 


Solution  of  sodium  silicate  enough  to  form  a  semi-liquid 


paste. 

3.  Litharge  . 2  parts 

White  Lead  . . . 1  part 


Work  into  a  pasty  condition  by  using  three  parts  boiled 
linseed  oil,  one  part  copal  varnish. 

DIRECTIONS: 

Melt  the  wax  and  rosin  on  a  water  bath  and  add,  under 
constant  stirring,  the  Venetian  red  previously  well  dried. 
Stir  until  nearly  cool,  so  as  to  prevent  the  Venetian  red 
from  settling  to  the  bottom. 

CELLULOID  CEMENTS. 

To  mend  broken  draughting  triangles  and  other  celluloid 
articles,  use  three  parts  alcohol  and  four  parts  ether 
mixed  together  and  applied  to  the  fracture  with  a  brush 
until  the  edges  become  warm.  The  edges  are  then  stuck 
together  and  left  to  dry  for  at  least  24  hours. 

Camphor,  one  part;  alcohol,  four  parts.  Dissolve  and 
add  equal  quantities,  by  weight,  of  shellac  to  this  solu¬ 
tion. 

If  firmness  is  desired  in  putting  celluloid  on  wood,  tin, 
etc.,  the  following  gluing  agent  is  recommended,  viz.:  A 
compound  of  two  parts  shellac,  three  parts  spirit  of 
camphor,  and  four  parts  of  strong  alcohol. 

Shellac  . . . 2  ounces 

Spirits  of  Camphor . 2  ounces 

Alcohol,  90  per  cent . 6  to  8  ounces 

Make  a  moderately  strong  glue  or  solution  of  gelatin. 
In  a  dark  place  or  a  dark  room  mix  with  the  above  a 
small  amount  of  concentrated  solution  of  potassium 
bichromate.  Coat  the  back  of  the  label,  which  must  be 
clean,  with  a  thin  layer  of  the  mixture.  Strongly  press 
the  label  against  the  bottle  and  keep  the  two  in  close 
contact  by  tying  with  twine  or  otherwise.  Expose  to 
sunlight  for  some  hours;  this  causes  the  cement  to  be 
insoluble  even  in  hot  water. 

Lime  . . . 1  ounce  av. 

White  of  Egg . 2%  ounces  av. 

Plaster  of  Paris . . . 5%  ounces  av. 

Water . 1  ounce  fl. 

Reduce  the  lime  to  a  fine  powder;  mix  it  with  the  white 
of  egg  by  trituration,  forming  a  uniform  paste.  Dilute 
with  water,  rapidly  incorporate  the  plaster  of  Paris,  and 
use  the  cement  immediately.  The  surfaces  to  be  cemented 
must  first  be  moistened  with  water  so  that  the  cement 
will  readily  adhere.  The  pieces  must  be  firmly  pressed 
together  and  kept  in  this  position  for  about  12  hours. 


394 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


CEMENTING  CELLULOID  AND  HARD-RUBBER  ARTICLES. 

1.  Celluloid  articles  can  be  mended  by  making  a  mixture 
composed  of  three  parts  of  alcohol  and  four  parts  of  ether. 
This  mixture  should  be  kept  in  a  well-corked  bottle,  and  when 
celluloid  articles  are  to  be  mended,  the  broken  surfaces  are 
painted  over  with  the  alcohol  and  ether  mixture  until  the  sur¬ 
faces  soften;  then  press  together  and  bind  and  allow  to  dry  for 
at  least  24  hours. 

2.  Dissolve  one  part  of  gum  camphor  in  four  parts  of 
alcohol;  dissolve  an  equal  weight  of  shellac  in  such  strong 
camphor  solution.  The  cement  is  applied  warm  and  the  parts 
united  must  not  be  disturbed  until  the  cement  is  hard.  Hard- 
rubber  articles  are  never  mended  to  form  a  strong  joint. 

3.  Melt  together  equal  parts  of  gutta  percha  and  real 
asphaltum.  The  cement  is  applied  hot,  and  the  broken  sur¬ 
faces  pressed  together  and  held  in  place  while  cooling. 


FOEMULAS  AND  DIEECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


. 


\ 


CHAPTER  LXXI. 


POLISHING  BY  TUMBLING. 

FOR  Caster  Wheels,  Checkers,  Etc. — After 
these  have  been  stained,  usually  by  dipping,  see 
that  they  are  thoroughly  dried.  This  is  neces¬ 
sary,  because  as  a  rule  much  end  wood  is  subjected 
to  moisture,  and  if  not  dried  will  give  trouble  later. 
Provide  a  slow  revolving  tumbler;  cut  up  paraffine 
wax  into  inch  cubes,  using  one-fourth  pound  to  each 
bushel  basketful  of  caster  wheels,  etc.  Allow  these  to 
tumble  several  hours,  when  it  will  be  found  that  the 
wax  is  evenly  distributed  over  the  wood.  The  amount 
of  wax  is  governed  by  the  nature  of  the  wood  and 
quality  of  polish  desired.  Other  waxes  may  be  used, 
a  combination  of  bees  and  paraffine.  This  same  tumb¬ 
ling  process  when  employed  to  smooth  small  articles 
will  be  found  expedient  especially  in  turnings  that  are 
to  receive  no  finish,  but  should  present  a  smooth  and 
satin-like  surface. 

Toys— Dipped  in  a  mixture  of  cheap  mineral  oil 
and  japan,  then  tumbled,  will  give  a  good  surface. 

Cheaper  articles,  when  dipped  in  silicate  of  soda, 
spread  out  on  screens  to  dry,  then  tumbled,  will  give 
a  remarkable  finish.  This  silicate  of  soda  can  be  col¬ 
ored  and  thus  will  help  in  producing  pleasing  colored 
finishes,  which  are  inexpensive. 


PROCESS  FOR 
A  POSITIVE 
POLISHING. 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


CHAPTER  LXXII. 


POLISHES  IN  FURNITURE  FINISHING. 

IT  IS  well  known  that  by  means  of  French  polishing, 
an  artisan  can  take  a  piece  of  furniture  and  start¬ 
ing  with  the  bare  wood  can  build  up  a  bright,  level, 
polished  surface  in  a  few  hours.  However,  that  finish 
will  not  be  permanent  in  its  brilliancy,  for  the  hurried 
work  will  not  wear  well.  This  is  due  more  to  the 
nature  of  the  materials  used  than  to  the  lack  of  skill 
on  the  part  of  the  workman. 

The  Germans  also  have  adopted  a  plan  of  building 
up  a  surface  by  a  succession  of  varnish  coats.  The 
main  difference  of  the  French  and  German  methods 
of  finishing  lies  in  the  final  method.  By  the  German 
process  any  change  in  color  of  the  wood  is  done  in 
such  a  manner  that  the  original  figure  of  the  wood 
is  often  wholly  lost,  the  figure,  if  there  were  any,  being 
sacrificed  in  the  production  of  an  even  color.  In 
America  a  strong  point  is  made  of  the  endeavor  to 
maintain  the  original  figure.  If  there  were  no  figure 
to  begin  with,  the  American  uses  his  best  effort  to 
produce  a  figure  of  a  beautiful  grain. 

A  good  polishing  formula  is  as  follows :  Raw  linseed 
oil  and  golden  oil,  each  two  and  one-half  gallons ;  water, 
three  gallons.  Stir  to  a  cream  by  adding  slowly  one- 
half  gallon  of  acetic  acid ;  then  add  three  and  one-half 
gallons  of  water,  one  quart  of  wood  alcohol,  one  pint 
of  butter  of  antimony.  To  give  this  mixture  a  pleasing 
odor  add  one  pint  of  oil  of  citronella.  The  mixture 
must  be  stirred  continually  during  the  additions.  To 
produce  a  good  rubbing  polish  add  two  pounds  of  fine 
pumice  or  fine  rotten  stone  to  each  gallon  of  the  above. 
Always  be  sure  to  stir  the  mixture  thoroughly  before 
removing  any  part  for  use. 

GOOD  POLISH  FORMULA. 

Paraffine  oil 
Linseed  oil  . 


..1  part 
1/2  Part 


FRENCH 

POLISHING. 


POLISHING 

FORMULA. 


398 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


Butter  of  Antimony . 1/2  part 

Vinegar  . 1  part 

Water  . 1  part 

Wood  alcohol . 1  part 


INEXPENSIVE 

FURNITURE 

POLISH. 


FURNITURE 

CLEANER. 


Mix  thoroughly.  For  a  rubbing  polish,  add  one 
pound  of  rotten  stone  to  each  gallon  of  the  above  mix¬ 
ture. 

Two  good  formulas  which  will  make  inexpensive 
furniture  polish,  and  give  you  meritorious  articles,  are 
the  following: 


FORMULA  No.  1 : 

Raw  linseed  oil . 1  quart 

Light  golden  oil . 1  quart 

Water . IV3  quarts 

Mix  these  well  and  add  acetic  acid . 1/2  pint 

Wood  alcohol  . *4  pint 

Butter  of  Antimony . 2  ounces 


A  few  grains  of  Bismark  brown  aniline  will  give  it 
a  nice  color.  The  polish  should  always  be  shaken 
before  using. 


FORMULA  No.  2 : 

Raw  linseed  oil . 1  quart 

Paraffine  oil  . 1  quart 

Water  . 1  quart 

Vinegar  . 1  pint 

Butter  of  Antimony . ^  pint 


Shake  well.  If  a  rubbing  polish  is  desired  add  two 
ounces  of  powdered  rotten  stone  to  each  pint  of  the 
polish. 

A  good  furniture  polish  and  cleaner : 


Use  light  rubbing  oil . 14^2  parts 

White  Vinegar . 2  parts 

Water . 3  parts 

Wood  Alcohol  . 4  parts 

Butter  of  Antimony . V2  part 

Oil  Citronella  . V2  part 


To  make  rubbing  polish,  add  one-half  pound  of 
rotten  stone  to  each  gallon  of  above. 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


POLISHES  IN  FURNITURE  FINISHING  399 


PIANO  FINISH  POLISH. 

Alcohol  (grain)  . 10  ounces 

Benzole  . . ..........25  ounces 

Gum  Benzoin  . . Vs.  ounce 

Gum  Sandarac  . . 1/2  ounce 

Mix  when  dissolved  and  use  as  a  French  polish. 

POLISH  FOR  BARS,  COUNTERS,  ETC. 

Linseed  Oil  (raw) . . . 8  ounces 

Beer  (stale)  . . ...............8  ounces 

Muriatic  Acid  . . ...............1  ounce 

Grain  Alcohol  ..........................................1  ounce 

White  of  one  egg. 


Mix  all  in  a  bottle  larger  than  quantity  to  admit 
of  shaking.  Clean  the  work  thoroughly;  then  apply 
with  tuft  of  rag,  and  rub  clean. 

Preserving  the  Polish— I  have  often  been  asked 
the  question  by  dealers  as  to  what  is  the  best  method 
for  preserving  the  appearance  of  the  polish  on  the 
pianos  which  have  to  stand  in  their  showrooms.  The 
question  is  not  an  easy  one  to  answer  offhand,  since  so 
much  depends  on  the  quality  of  the  polishing  in  the 
first  instance. 

Inferior  polish  is  without  doubt  a  frequent  cause  of 
the  troubles  which  dealers  have  to  encounter  in  this 
respect.  The  secret  of  polishing  is  a  good  foundation. 
If  the  foundation  is  finished  off  too  quickly  and  not 
allowed  to  stand  long  enough  trouble  is  eventually 
bound  to  ensue. 

Different  woods  vary,  of  course,  in  the  amount  of 
polish  required ;  some  soak  it  up  so  thirstily  that  until 
they  are  really  full  up  with  polish  the  latter  cannot 
stand. 

But  even  when  the  polish  is  perfect  it  is  bound  to 
sweat  under  certain  circumstances,  and  a  few  general 
hints  therefore  will  not  be  out  of  place. 

To  keep  pianos  or  any  polished  work  in  good  con¬ 
dition  it  is  very  necessary  to  maintain  the  showrooms 
at  an  equal  temperature  and  to  avoid  as  much  gas  as 
possible;  the  fumes  of  the  gas  are  damp,  and  in  con¬ 
densing  deposit  carbon  on  the  surfaces  of  the  goods  ex- 
nosed  in  the  shape  of  an  oily  substance,  which  takes  up 


PRESERVING 
FINISH  ON 
PIANOS. 


AN  EQUAL 

TEMPERATURE 

NECESSARY. 


400 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


the  dust,  etc.,  and  in  time  becomes  hard  and  difficult  to 
remove. 

Great  care  should  be  taken  in  dusting  to  use  a  very 
soft  cloth  in  a  very  light  manner  (in  fact  it  would  be 
better  to  blow  olf  as  much  as  possible),  so  as  to  take 
the  dust  off  without  scratching;  it  is  then  sometimes 
found  that  the  surface  is  clammy  and  requires  reviving, 
which  can  only  be  done  by  practice,  which  is  easily 
gained  in  a  short  time.  Should  this  treatment  not  be 
successful  a  good  reviver  is  the  only  thing  to  bring  it 
up  to  its  natural  state,  but  if  a  professional  polisher 
is  going  to  touch  it  up  he  would  use  oil  and  spirit.  This 
can  only  be  successfully  accomplished  by  an  expert. 

Speaking  of  revivers  it  is  well  to  note  that  we  do 
not  mean  that  revivers  should  contain  wax,  turps  and 
such  like  ingredients,  as  they  are  entirely  opposed  to 
the  nature  of  the  materials  used  in  polishes,  which  is 
shellac,  etc. 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


CHAPTER  LXXIII. 


VALUABLE  RECIPES  AND  FORMULAS. 

FOR  frosted  glass,  letter  or  make  your  design,  if 
any,  with  Damar  varnish ;  let  dry  and  apply  sugar 
of  lead  in  linseed  oil.  With  this  process  you  can 
make  very  pretty  designs  and  it  is  often  used  to  coat  frosted 
bath  room  windows  and  other  windows  where  light  is  GLASS- 
desired  and  no  view  from  the  exterior. 

Dissolve  three  tablespoonfuls  of  epsom  salts  in  one 
pint  of  lager  beer  or  vinegar  and  apply  to  window 
with  brush  or  rag.  As  a  temporary  frosting,  mix  to¬ 
gether  a  strong  hot  solution  of  epsom  salts  and  clear 
solution  of  gum  arabic  and  apply  warm. 

To  make  imitation  ground  glass  give  the  glass  a 
thin  coating  of  Damar  varnish,  then  sprinkle  it  evenly 
all  over  with  powdered  pumice  stone,  and  let  stand  to 
dry.  This  renders  the  glass  non-transparent  while 
permitting  light  to  pass  through.  Paint  with  the.  fol¬ 


lowing  solution : 

Zinc  Sulphate  . 3  parts 

Magnesium  Sulphate  . . 3  parts 

Dextrin  . 2  parts 

Water . . . 20  parts 


In  drying  the  mixture  crystallizes  in  fine  needles, 
which  prevents  vision  through  the  glass. 

To  Make  Paper  Stick  to  Tin. — Take  one-half  STICKING 
ounce  each  of  nitrate  of  copper,  chloride  of  copper  and  PAPer  to  tin.. 
salammoniac,  dissolve  in  a  solution  composed  of  one 
quart  of  warm  water  to  which  one-half  ounce  of  hydro¬ 
chloric  acid  is  added. 

Mix  this  in  an  earthen  jar.  Apply  the  mixture 
with  a  wide,  flat  brush.  Let  it  stand  until  a  white 
powder  is  formed  over  the  surface,  which  when  dry 
should  be  brushed  off,  and  the  surface  is  ready  for  use. 

Restoring  Color  to  Old  Mahogany. — Add  half 
an  ounce  alkanet  root  in  small  bits  to  a  pint  of  raw 
linseed  oil,  and  when  this  has  stood  a  week  add  a  half 
ounce  of  powdered  gum  Arabic  and  one  ounce  of 


402 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


TO  REMOVE 
SPECKS  ON 
MAHOGANY 
FINISH. 


DISCOLORED 
WOODS  CANNOT 
BE  REMEDIED. 


shellac  varnish.  Let  the  mass  stand  in  a  bottle  in  a 
warm  place  for  a  week  and  then  strain  it.  Wash  the 
surface  of  the  wood  with  slightly  soapy  water,  rinse, 
wipe  dry,  and  polish  with  the  preparation,  using  a  soft 
woolen  rag  or  chamois  skin. 

Specks  on  Mahogany  Pianos. — The  minute  specks 
seen,  and  which  greatly  disfigure  the  surface,  are 
caused  by  an  oil  that  exudes  from  the  wood,  and  which 
cannot  be  held  back  even  with  shellac.  Rubbing  down 
and  revarnishing  is  the  only  cure.  Sprinkle  pulverized 
rotten  stone  over  it;  rub  gently  and  regularly,  first 
with  a  circular  motion  and  then  with  the  grain  of  the 
wood.  When  the  surface  has  become  smooth  and 
bright,  wipe  off  the  rotten  stone  and  finish  as  you 
would  after  the  washing  with  soap  and  warm  water. 

Stains  on  Wood. — Put  an  ounce  of  oxalic  acid  in 
one  gill  of  boiling  water,  and  touch  the  stain  with  it. 
If  this  proves  ineffectual  try  nitric  acid  (sweet  spirits 
of  nitre). 

Bleaching  Stains. — If,  after  we  bleach  the  stain 
with  oxalic  acid,  we  will  sandpaper  the  work  and  apply 
a  mixture  of  caustic  lime  seven  parts,  and  sal  soda  one 
part,  the  bleaching  will  be  greatly  improved,  says  an 
experimenter. 

White  Marks  on  Wax  Finish. — If  water  is  al¬ 
lowed  to  remain  on  waxed  surfaces  any  length  of  time 
it  will  cause  them  to  grow  white.  A  manufacturer  of 
wood  finishing  materials  says  to  rub  with  a  soft  rag 
moistened  with  alcohol,  after  which  rub  on  a  little  lin¬ 
seed  or  sweet  oil.  He  says  this  will  permanently 
remove  the  white  spot,  but  cautions  against  getting 
water  on  the  wax,  as  a  wax  finish  is  not  made  to  stand 
against  water. 

Protecting  a  Wax  Finish. — Wax  finish  may  be 
protected  against  water  or  any  form  of  dampness  by 
the  following  coat:  Zanzibar  copal  varnish  six  parts, 
boiled  oil  six  parts,  and  turpentine  10  parts,  all  by 
weight,  all  well  mixed  together,  then  applied.  While 
protecting  the  wax  it  will  not  destroy,  but  preserve, 
the  waxy  look. 

Discolored  Woods. — Woods  naturally  discolored 
cannot  well  be  remedied,  though  bleaching  powder  may 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 

YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


VALUABLE  RECIPES  AND  FORMULAS 


403 


help.  Artificial  or  accidental  discolorations  may  be 
moved  in  most  cases  by  the  application  of  a  strong 
solution  of  oxalic  acid,  or  with  one  part  of  muriatic 
acid  to  five  parts  of  water.  Ink  spots  may  be  treated 
with  oxalic  acid.  A  phosphoric  acid,  spirits  of  nitre, 
is  another  cure  for  ink  on  wood. 

Pitting  of  Varnish  on  Piano. — This  may  be 
remedied  by  rubbing  it  over  with  a  hard  wax  polish. 
Make  this  wax  by  melting  together  half  an  ounce 
Carnauba  wax,  two  ounces  japan  wax,  or  white  bees¬ 
wax  will  do,  and  two  ounces  ceresin  wax.  Put  all  in 
a  pot  and  melt  by  placing  the  pot  inside  of  another 
vessel  containing  hot  water,  then  set  on  the  stove. 
When  melted  add  enough  kerosene  oil  to  make  the 
mass,  when  cool,  about  like  petroleum  jelly.  Test  by 
placing  some  on  a  glass  and  letting  it  cool,  and  if  it 
becomes  too  hard  upon  cooling  add  a  little  more  kero¬ 
sene.  Apply  with  a  woolen  pad,  made  by  rolling  up 
a  strip  of  woolen-like  tape.  It  will  be  necessary  to 
give  it  two  or  more  applications,  the  idea  being  to  fill 
the  little  pits  in  the  varnish. 

Sticky  Pews. — The  cause  of  pews  and  seats  in 
churches  becoming  sticky  is  due  not  to  the  use  of  poor 
varnishes,  though  this  may  sometimes  contribute  to 
the  cause,  but  to  the  damp  and  impure  air  of  such 
places,  where  ventilation  is  almost  nil,  and  the  atmos¬ 
phere  reeking  with  ammonia  and  gases.  Sometimes 
the  troubles  come  from  revarnishing  over  greasy 
seats.  In  any  case,  where  the  varnish  is  sticky,  either 
remove  the  varnish,  or  coat  it  over  with  very  thin 
shellac  varnish,  using  the  brown  shellac.  Two  thin 
coats  are  better  than  one  heavy  coat.  Over  the  shellac 
you  may  apply  a  coat  of  best  pew  varnish,  if  desired. 
It  is  better  to  use  pew  varnish,  as  this  is  made  with  a 
view  to  standing  the  conditions  met  with  in  such  a 
place.  Some  advise  merely  rubbing  the  sticky  varnish 
with  japan,  but  this  is  a  very  poor  makeshift. 


OTHER  RECIPES 
FOR  COMMON 
FAULTS. 


_ PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 

YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


CHAPTER  LXXIV. 


GROUND  COLOR  FOR  GRAINING. 

IN  THE  finishing  room  it  sometimes  may  be  neces¬ 
sary  to  do  a  little  graining  to  match  up  certain 
parts  of  a  piece,  and  it  is  well  for  the  finisher  to 
have  at  least  a  fair  idea  of  how  to  proceed.  The  wood  ground  work 
is  first  coated  with  a  mixture  of  the  ground  tints.  This  F°R  graining. 
is  usually  a  flat  paint  of  the  desired  tone  for  producing 
the  flake.  The  following  formulas  will  suffice  in  this 
work  for  giving  the  general  information  and  it  covers 
practically  all  of  the  colors  that  are  now  in  vogue. 

Maple.— -White  lead  tinted  with  a  very  little  Ver¬ 
million  and  about  an  equal  quantity  of  lemon  chrome. 

Some  prefer  yellow  ochre  only,  others  ochre  and  raw 
umber  in  the  proportion  of  four  ounces  ochre  to  one 
ounce  umber  to  30  pounds  of  lead. 

Medium  Oak. — Add  French  ochre  to  white  lead  in 
the  proportions  of  about  20  of  lead  to  five  of  ochre. 

Add  a  little  burnt  umber. 

Light  Oak  and  Birch. — Eighty  parts  of  white 
lead  to  one  of  yellow  ochre  produces  a  good  ground, 
but  60  pounds  of  white  lead,  one-half  pound  of  French 
ochre,  and  one  ounce  of  lemon  chrome  is  sometimes 
preferred. 

Dark  Oak.— -Sixty  parts  of  white  lead  and  one  part 
of  golden  ochre  may  be  used,  or  the  following  mixture  S0ME  0F  THE 
if  preferred:  Six  pounds  of  white  lead,  one  pound  of  C0L0RS  USED- 
French  ochre,  two  ounces  medium  Venetian  red  and 
two  ounces  of  burnt  umber. 

Satin  wood. — -Mix  six  ounces  of  lemon  chrome  to 
15  pounds  of  pure  white  lead  and  add  a  little  deep 
English  vermillion. 

Pollard  Oak. — Tint  100  pounds  of  white  lead  with 
27  pounds  of  French  ochre,  four  pounds  of  burnt 
umber  and  three  and  three-fourths  pounds  of  Venetian 
red. 

Pitch  Pine. — Tint  60  pounds  of  white  lead  with 


406 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


OTHER 

COLORS. 


one-half  pound  medium  Venetian  red  and  one-fourth 
pound  of  French  ochre. 

Italian  Walnut. — One  pound  of  French  ochre 
mixed  with  10  pounds  of  pure  white  lead  and  four 
ounces  of  burnt  umber  and  four  ounces  medium 
Venetian  red ;  give  this  ground. 

Knotted  Oak. — Sixty  pounds  white  lead,  nine 
pounds  of  French  ochre,  and  three  and  one-half  pounds 
burnt  umber. 

Rosewood  and  Dark  Mahogany. — Four  pounds 
medium  Venetian  red,  one  pound  of  orange  chrome 
yellow,  and  one  pound  of  burnt  umber,  or  a  little  less 
burnt  umber  may  be  used,  according  to  the  strength. 

Mahogany  Dark. — Four  pounds  of  medium  Vene¬ 
tian  red,  one  pound  of  orange  chrome  yellow,  and  one 
pound  of  burnt  umber,  or  a  little  less  burnt  umber 
may  be  used,  according  to  strength. 

Mahogany  Light. — Mix  six  pounds  of  pure  white 
lead  with  one  pound  of  medium  Venetian  red  and  five 
ounces  of  burnt  umbeR. 


i 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


YOUR 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


OWN  FORMULAS 


CHAPTER  LX XV. 


THE  RESILVERING  OP  MIRRORS. 

THE  resilvering  of  mirrors  is  often  put  up  to  the 
finisher,  especially  in  furniture  stores  away  from 
manufacturing  centers.  The  method  given  by 
Bassett  seems  to  meet  with  universal  success,  and  is 
here  given : 

The  silver  on  mirrors  is  apt  to  be  affected  by  varia¬ 
tions  in  temperature  causing  it  to  contract  or  expand, 
and  when  this  happens  the  silver  falls  off  in  small 
flakes.  If  the  backing  of  paint  that  protects  the  silver 
should  become  loose,  it  may  also  be  affected  by  the 
light.  In  nearly  all  cases  it  is  far  cheaper  to  resilver 
the  mirror  than  to  purchase  a  new  one. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  apparatus  necessary 
for  resilvering  mirrors : 

Four  glass  bottles  (one  gallon  each). 

One  glass  stirring-rod. 

Scales. 

Filter  paper. 

One  graduate  (one  quart). 

One  china  pitcher  (two  quarts). 

One  enamel  or  agate-ware  kettle  (one  gallon). 

Gas  stove. 

The  most  important  requirement  for  resilvering 
mirrors  is  a  proper,  room  in  which  the  process  is  carried 
out.  A  room  eight  by  12  feet  or  so  in  size  will  be  found 
large  enough  for  ordinary  work.  It  should  be  kept 
dust-proof  as  much  as  possible  by  covering  wood  par¬ 
titions  with  thick  cloth  or  canvas.  All  windows  should 
be  calked  and  never  opened.  The  temperature  of  the 
room  while  silvering  mirrors  should  be  about  100  de¬ 
grees  F.»  and  it  may  be  heated  by  a  steam  coil  or  wood 
stove.  No  gas  should  be  burned  in  the  room,  as  some 
of  the  incombustible  matter  may  settle  on  the  glass. 
A  large  table  is  placed  in  the  center  of  the  room  on 
which  the  silvering  is  done.  It  is  best  to  cover  the 
table  with  sheet  iron,  coated  with  an  acid-proof  paint. 


bassett’s 
method  is 

POPULAR  ONE. 


TEMPERATURE 
SHOULD  BE 

100°  F. 


408 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


i'HE  OPERATION 
OF  RESILVERING. 


USE  ONLY 
RAIN  OR 
DISTILLED 
WATER. 


The  edge  of  the  sheet  iron  should  be  bent  to  form  a 
narrow  trough  or  gutter  around  the  table.  The  gutter 
should  be  slanted  to  one  end  where  all  liquids  are  al¬ 
lowed  to  run  through  a  small  hole  into  a  vessel  placed 
on  the  floor.  The  surface  of  the  table  should  be  as 
level  as  possible. 

The  first  operation  in  resilvering  is  to  remove  the 
backing  of  paint  that  protects  the  silver.  This  is  ac¬ 
complished  by  laying  the  mirror  on  several  small  blocks 
of  wood  placed  on  the  table  in  the  resilvering  room. 
A  paper  should  be  placed  under  the  mirror  on  which 
the  paint  is  collected  on  being  removed.  A  good  paint 
remover  is  applied  and  allowed  to  soak  into  the  paint 
for  a  short  time.  It  is  then  scraped  off  with  a  piece  of 
cardboard  on  to  the  paper.  The  paint  and  paper  should 
be  saved,  as  it  contains  some  silver.  The  next  opera¬ 
tion  is  to  remove  the  silver.  A  mixture  of  nitric  acid 
and  water  (six  parts  acid  to  one  of  water)  is  used  for 
this  purpose.  After  removing  the  silver  the  glass  is 
rinsed  off  with  ordinary  water.  Before  the  silvering 
solution  is  applied  the  glass  is  carefully  polished  with 
fine  silver  rouge  and  a  few  drops  of  liquid  ammonia; 
all  the  rouge  should  be  thoroughly  wiped  off  by  suc¬ 
cessively  using  several  pieces  of  linen  cloth.  The  cloth 
may  be  placed  around  a  piece  of  felt  or  a  smooth  block 
of  wood. 

The  mirror  is  now  ready  for  resilvering.  It  is  laid 
on  several  wedges  of  wood  placed  on  the  table  in  the 
silvering  room,  and  made  perfectly  level.  As  pre¬ 
viously  stated,  the  temperature  of  the  room  should  be 
about  100  degrees  F.  To  ascertain  if  the  glass  is  level, 
hot  water  is  poured  upon  its  surface.  When  the  glass 
is  perfectly  level,  the  water  will  not  flow  off  and  in 
that  position  it  will  retain  the  silvering  solution. 

In  making  up  the  solutions  for  silvering  only  rain 
or  distilled  water  must  be  used.  If  rain  water  is  used 
it  should  be  carefully  filtered.  Solution  No.  1  is  made 


as  follows : 

Water  . 2  qt. 

Silver  Nitrate  . 13  pwt. 


When  the  silver  is  thoroughly  dissolved  add  slowly 
liquid  ammonia  of  26  degrees  until  the  solution  turns 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


YOUR 


* 


OWN  FORMULAS 


i 


THE  RESILVERING  OF  MIRRORS 


409 


perceptibly  brown.  When  this  point  is  reached,  con¬ 
tinue  adding  the  ammonia  drop  by  drop  until  the  white 
color  of  the  solution  is  restored.  Great  caution  must 
be  used  in  not  adding  too  much  ammonia,  as  the  color 
changes  rapidly.  A  separate  solution  of 


Water  . 2  qt. 

Silver  Nitrate  _ _ 11  pwt. 


is  now  made  up  and  the  two  solutions  mixed  together. 
The  whole  is  then  allowed  to  stand  for  about  12  hours, 
when  it  is  carefully  filtered.  This  solution  should  be 
kept  in  a  large  bottle  and  labeled  Solution  No.  1. 
Solution  No.  2  is  made  up  as  follows: 


Water . . . 1  gal. 

Silver  Nitrate  . . 8  pwt. 

Rochelle  Salts  . 8  pwt. 


This  solution  should  be  boiled  for  several  minutes. 
Like  solution  No.  1  it  should  be  allowed  to  stand  about 
12  hours  and  then  carefully  filtered. 

SILVERING  THE  GLASS. 

Four  ounces  of  solution  to  every  square  foot  of 
glass  is  required.  Equal  portions  of  solutions  No.  1 
and  2  are  carefully  measured  out  in  the  graduate  and 
mixed.  The  solution  may  be  poured  upon  the  glass 
by  using  a  large  china  pitcher.  After  the  two  solu¬ 
tions  are  mixed  they  should  be  immediately  applied 
to  the  glass.  If  they  are  allowed  to  stand  for  any 
length  of  time,  good  results  cannot  be  produced.  As 
previously  stated,  the  glass  is  made  perfectly  level  by 
using  small  wooden  wedges  and  pouring  hot  water 
upon  its  surface.  When  it  is  perfectly  level  it  will 
retain  the  water  on  its  surface,  this  being  due  to  capil¬ 
lary  attraction.  The  glass  should  be  left  covered  with 
hot  water  until  the  silvering  solution  is  applied.  Be¬ 
fore  pouring  on  the  silvering  solution  the  water  is  al¬ 
lowed  to  drain  off  by  gently  tipping  up  the  glass.  The 
glass  should  be  carefully  laid  back  in  the  same  position 
and  the  silvering  solution  immediately  poured  on  the 
glass  for  30  minutes  or  longer,  if  desired.  The  residue 
is  then  poured  off  and  the  silvered  surface  of  the  glass 
is  washed  off  with  ordinary  cold  water.  The  glass  is 
now  allowed  to  dry  thoroughly  and  the  silvered  surface 


THREE 

SOLUTIONS 

USED. 


APPLYING 

SILVERING 

SOLUTION. 


410 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


is  then  coated  over  with  a  suitable  paint.  The  writer 
uses  a  paint  made  up  as  follows: 


Turpentine  Asphaltum  . 1  quart 

Damar  Varnish  . 4  ounces 

White  Lead  . .2  ounces 

Turpentine  . 3  ounces 


COATING  OVER 
WITH  PAINT. 


ABSOLUTE 

CLEANLINESS 

NEEDED. 


The  white  lead  is  dissolved  in  the  turpentine,  and 
all  the  ingredients  are  thoroughly  mixed  together.  The 
paint  should  be  applied  carefully  with  a  soft  brush, 
preferably  a  camel’s  hair  brush.  When  the  paint  is 
sufficiently  dry,  the  face  of  the  mirror  is  examined  and 
all  silver  or  paint  that  may  have  adhered  to  it  is  re¬ 
moved  and  the  glass  polished  with  a  little  rouge  and 
a  few  drops  of  liquid  ammonia,  using  a  cloth.  The 
mirror  is  then  ready  for  framing. 

Occasionally  the  jobber  is  called  upon  to  resilver 
mirrors  that  are  made  with  mercury.  It  is  not  advis¬ 
able  to  remove  the  mercury  with  an  acid,  as  the  heat 
generated  will  often  crack  the  glass  on  account  of  the 
large  amount  of  mercury  being  present.  It  may  be 
scraped  off  with  a  thin  piece  of  wood.  Mercury  has 
been  used  extensively  in  the  past  in  making  mirrors, 
but  it  is  not  now  employed  for  this  purpose.  Some  at¬ 
tempts  have  been  made  to  use  aluminum,  on  account 
of  its  cheapness,  but  the  results  are  not  as  satisfactory 
as  when  silver  is  employed. 

Remember  that  absolute  cleanliness  is  the  main 
thing  in  this  work.  Your  solutions  commence  to  pre¬ 
cipitate  as  soon  as  they  are  mixed,  so  use  them  at  once. 
You  do  not  need  to  use  oiled  cloth  to  do  this  work  but 
it  is  better  and  quicker  than  wedging  up  and  leveling 
glass  with  water  and  will  not  drain  dry  as  it  does  when 
wacer  starts  to  run  over  edge  of  glass.  Experience  will 
make  you  perfect  in  leveling  a  straight  glass  but  I 
always  use  the  oil  cloth  and  strips  cup-fashion. 

Be  sure  to  boil  all  water  before  putting  in  solu¬ 
tion.  Be  very  careful  in  handling  plated  glass  as  a 
finger  mark  will  turn  it  black.  Should  there  be  any 
thin  places  in  the  silvering  or  plating,  pour  on  more 
solution,  or  if  a  piece  of  dirt  lodged  on  the  glass  pour 
solution  on  it  and  wash  it  over  on  the  plated  glass 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


THE  RESILVERING  OF  MIRRORS 


411 


where  it  is  already  silvered.  Use  up  one  batch  or  two 
of  solution  practicing  before  you  try  a  large  mirror. 
Then  all  these  little  things  that  cause  failure  will  be 
plainer  to  you.  Keep  cool  and  take  time  in  all  this 
work  until  you  become  familiar  with  it. 

Sometimes  it  becomes  necessary  to  plate  a  glass 
two  or  three  times  to  cover  all  places.  I  use  three 
solutions  in  most  all  cases,  but  No.  1  and  2  are  suf¬ 
ficient  unless  the  glass  looks  clouded  on  back.  Ex¬ 
perience  will  soon  tell  you  whether  the  job  is  good  or 
not  by  looking  at  the  back  of  the  plating.  If  not  clear 
and  good  use  No.  1  and  3  as  described.  Nitrate  of 
silver  must  be  kept  in  colored  bottles  as  exposure  to 
light  ruins  it.  It  takes  four  ounces  of  solution  to  do 
one,  square  foot  of  glass,  that  is,  two  ounces  from 
each  bottle.  Stir  solutions  together  good  with  glass 
paddle  before  pouring  on. 

Just  after  pouring  on  take  hold  of  one  end  of  the 
table  and  shake  or  agitate  the  solution  for  three  to 
five  minutes,  as  this  will  wash  any  specks  around  until 
solution  acts  some  on  the  glass  and  prevents  small, 
black  specks.  This  can  only  be  done  when  the  tray 
system  is  used.  In  ordinary  work  I  hardly  ever  agitate 
the  solution.  Allow  to  stand  from  30  to  40  minutes. 
Shellac  can  be  used  to  first  coat  in  back  before  hand¬ 
ling  it  if  you  prefer  it  to  turpentine.  I  use  turpentine 
because  if  bottom  edge  of  glass  is  not  entirely  drained 
dry,  the  brush  pushes  the  water  off  without  bad  effects. 
Never  heat  the  glass  very  hot  or  the  silvering  will  dis¬ 
color.  These  instructions  are  for  cold  resilvering.  To 
test  water  to  be  used,  drop  a  few  grains  of  nitrate  of 
silver  in  three  ounces  of  it.  If  it  remains  clear,  it  is 
all  right.  If  it  turns  milky  boil  water  before  using. 
When  doing  an  oval  or  round  glass  I  use  a  piece  of 
leather  belting  or  hose  to  make  the  tray  with.  By  so 
doing  you  can  fit  any  size  glass  instantly. 

Three  part  solution  1-2-3  requires  no  special  heat, 
except  in  extreme  cold  weather.  It  can-  be  used  in  all 
kinds  of  work. 

Solution  1. — Put  306  grains  nitrate  of  silver  in 
glass  graduate  with  three  ounces  distilled  or  boiled 
water.  Dissolve,  using  piece  of  glass  as  paddle.  Drop 


MORE  OF  THE 
PROCEDURE. 


HEAT  WILL 

DISCOLOR 

SILVERING. 


412 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


MAKE  UP 
AND  USE 
OF  THREE 
SOLUTIONS. 


in  stronger  ammonia  drop  by  drop.  The  silver  solu¬ 
tion  will  become  muddy.  Continue  to  drop  in  carefully 
until  solution  is  just  clear.  Be  careful  not  to  use  too 
much  ammonia.  Dissolve  250  grains  silver  nitrate  in 
another  glass  in  16  ounces  distilled  or  boiled  water. 
Pour  contents  of  both  glasses  in  the  one-gallon  bottle 
and  add  enough  distilled  water  to  make  one  gallon. 
Label  this  bottle  or  glass  jar  No.  1. 

Solution  2. — Put  one-half  gallon  distilled  or  boiled 
water  in  the  porcelain  lined  vessel.  Dissolve  96  grains 
Rochelle  salts  in  this.  Boil  strong  one  minute,  then 
add  96  grains  nitrate  of  silver,  dissolve  in  three  ounces 
water.  Boil  10  minutes.  When  cool  put  in  half  gallon 
bottle  and  fill  up.  Make  a  full  half  gallon.  Label 
bottle  No.  2. 

Solution  3. — Make  same  as  solution  No.  2,  only 
use  144  grains  Rochelle  salts.  Label  bottle  No.  3. 

To  use,  take  equal  parts  No.  1  and  2  for  first  coat. 
For  second  coat  to  clear  up  silver  plating,  take  equal 
parts  No.  1  and  3.  Let  each  coat  stand  on  glass  from  30 
to  40  minutes.  Always  rinse  off  first  coat  before  ap¬ 
plying  second  coat.  Always  use  distilled  or  boiled  water 
for  solutions.  Let  solutions  stand  over  night  just  as 
you  made  them.  Then  filter,  using  a  funnel  and  good 
grade  filter  paper.  I  use  two  sets  of  bottles.  Make  in 
one  and  filter  into  another.  Be  sure  to  get  stronger 
ammonia  from  the  druggist. 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR 


OWN  FORMULAS 


i 


v 


CHAPTER  LXXVI. 


WORKING  WITH  GLASS  AND  CELLULOID. 

TO  prevent  dimming  of  show  windows,  show  cases, 
etc.,  mix  olein-potash  soap  with  about  3  per  cent 
of  glycerine  and  a  little  oil  of  turpentine. 
Lettering  on  Glass.— White  lettering  on  glass  and 
mirrors  produces  a  rich  effect.  Dry  zinc,  chemically 
pure,  should  be  used.  It  can  be  obtained  in  any  first- 
class  paint  store  and  is  inexpensive.  To  every  tea¬ 
spoonful  of  zinc,  10  drops  of  mucilage  should  be  added. 
The  two  should  be  worked  up  into  a  thick  paste,  water 
being  gradually  added  until  the  mixture  is  about  the 
consistency  of  thick  cream.  The  paint  should  then  be 
applied  with  a  camel’s  hair  brush. 

Another  useful  paint  for  this  purpose  is  Chemnitz 
white.  If  this  distemper  color  is  obtained  in  a  jar, 
care  should  be  exercised  to  keep  water  standing  above 
the  color  to  prevent  drying.  By  using  mucilage  as  a 
sizing  these  colors  will  adhere  to  the  glass  until  it  is 
washed  off.  Both  mixtures  are  equally  desirable  for 
lettering  on  block  card  board. 

Any  distemper  color  may  be  employed  on  glass 
•without  in  any  way  injuring  it.  An  attractive  com¬ 
bination  is,  first  to  letter  the  sign  with  Turkey  red, 
and  then  to  outline  the  letters  with  a  very  narrow 
white  stripe.  The  letter  can  be  rendered  still  more 
attractive  by  shading  one  side  in  black. 

Spatter  Work. — Some  lettering  which  appears 
very  difficult  to  the  uninitiated  is  in  fact  easily  pro¬ 
duced.  The  beautiful  effect  of  lettering  and  ornamen¬ 
tation  in  the  form  of  foliage  or  conventional  scrolls  in 
a  speckled  ground  is  simple  and  can  be  produced  with 
little  effort.  Pressed  leaves  and  letters  or  designs  cut 
from  newspapers  or  magazines  may  be  tacked  or  pasted 
on  card. 

For  Bronze  Lettering  the  following  is  the  best 
method  for  card  work.  Write  with  asphaltum  thinned 
with  turpentine  or  naphtha  until  it  flows  easily,  and, 


WHITE 

LETTERING  ON 
GLASS. 


ORNAMENTAL 

WORK. 


414 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


BRONZE 

LETTERING. 


CEMENTING 
CELLULOID ; 
CLEANING 
MIRRORS. 


when  nearly  dry,  dust  bronze  powder  over  the  letters. 
When  the  letters  are  perfectly  dry  tap  the  card,  shake 
off ‘the  extra  bronze,  and  it  will  leave  the  letters  clean 
and  sharp.  The  letters  should  be  made  with  a  camel’s 
hair  brush,  and  not  with  the  automatic  pen,  as  oil 
paints  do  not  work  satisfactorily  with  these  pens.  This 
same  method  may  apply  for  signs  on  glass. 

To  Drill  Holes  in  Glass. — Secure  a  square  file 
and  grind  off  the  small  end  diagonally  at  an  angle  of 
about  45  degrees.  Grind  from  corner  to  corner,  so  as 
to  leave  a  diamond  shaped  surface  which  will  form  a 
sharp  point  at  the  end.  To  use,  place  blunt  end  of  file 
in  an  ordinary  bit  stock.  Lay  glass  on  a  perfectly 
smooth  surface  with  a  piece  of  cloth  under  place  where 
hole  is  to  be  drilled.  Take  some  soft  putty  and  make 
a  small  ring  around  on  glass  where  hole  is  to  be  and 
fill  the  cup-like  place  with  turpentine.  Proceed  to 
make  a  hole  as  you  would  with  an  ordinary  bit  in  wood, 
but  use  less  pressure.  A  clean  cut  hole  can  easily  be  , 
made  in  glass  of  any  thickness  in  this  manner. 

Cementing  Celluloid. — Make  a  solution  of  five 
parts,  by  weight,  of  celluloid  and  16  parts,  by  weight, 
each  of  amyl  acetate,  acetone,  and  sulphuric  ether. 
Various  formulas  have  been  given  but  this  is  the  best 
from  our  experience.  This  will  also  act  as  a  cement 
for  sticking  celluloid  to  wood.  To  color  celluloid  black : 
First  dip  into  pure  water,  then  into  a  solution  of  nitrate 
of  silver;  let  dry  in  the  light.  Yellow,  first  immerse 
in  a  solution  of  nitrate  of  lead  and  then  in  a  concen¬ 
trated  solution  of  chromate  of  potash.  Brown,  dip  into 
a  solution  of  permanganate  of  potash  strongly  alkaline 
by  the  addition  of  soda.  Blue,  dip  into  a  solution  of 
indigo  neutralized  by  the  addition  of  silver.  Red,  first 
dip  into  a  diluted  bath  of  nitric  acid,  then  into  an 
ammoniacal  solution  of  carmine.  Green,  dip  into  a 
solution  of  verdigris.  Aniline  colors  may  also  be  em¬ 
ployed  but  they  are  less  permanent. 

To  Clean  Mirrors. — Rub  the  mirror  with  a  ball 
of  soft  paper  slightly  dampened  with  metholated 
spirits,  then  with  a  duster  sprinkled  with  whiting,  and 
finally  polish  with  clean  paper  or  a  wash  leather.  This 
treatment  will  make  the  glass  beautifully  bright. 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 

YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


CHAPTER  LXXVII. 


PREVENTING  BRASS  FROM  TARNISHING. 

THERE  is  a  large  variety  of  cheap  brass  goods 
manufactured  which  will  not  warrant  anything 
but  the  cheapest  material  being  used  on  them. 
They  are  made  of  solid  brass  and  of  brass-plated  steel. 
When  completed  and  assembled  they  are  dipped,  if  of 
solid  brass,  or  if  brass  plated,  left  in  the  bright  brass 
as  they  come  from  the  plating  tank.  In  either  case,  the 
brass  must  be  protected  from  the  air,  otherwise  it 
would  discolor  in  a  short  time  and  finally  turn  black. 

Now  the  goods  are  so  cheap  that  the  use  of  regular 
lacquer  on  them  would  be  out  of  the  question,  and  as  no 
finish  is  required  and  only  a  protection  is  necessary,  the 
cheapest  material  for  the  purpose  must  be  employed. 
It  is  customary  in  the  metal  trades  which  make  these 
classes  of  goods  to  use  a  very  weak  shellac  varnish  for 
the  purpose  and  it  has  been  in  use  for  many  years. 
The  following  proportions  are  used : 


Denatured  Alcohol . 1  gallon 

Flake  Shellac  . 1  ounce 


Dissolve  the  shellac  in  the  alcohol  and  then  strain 
it  through  cloth  to  remove  the  sticks  and  dirt  in  it 
and  it  will  be  ready  for  use. 

The  brass  goods  after  dipping  and  drying  are  im¬ 
mersed  in  the  shellac  and  then  dried.  The  goods  should 
be  warm  when  used.  The  heat  of  the  drying  over  will, 
of  course,  expel  the  excess  of  alcohol  and  leave  a  film 
of  shellac  on  the  surface  for  the  protection  of  the  brass. 

The  drip  on  the  goods  will  not  bother  one,  as  the 
shellac  is  so  weak  that  it  will  dry  right  off,  although  a 
slight  spot  will  be  left.  The  goods  are  so  cheap,  how¬ 
ever,  that  a  perfect  surface  is  not  expected  and  pro¬ 
tection  against  tarnishing  is  all  that  is  required. 

By  dissolving  a  greater  or  less  amount  of  shellac  in 
the  alcohol,,  a  stronger  or  weaker  material  may  be 
obtained,  but  it  should  be  used  weak  in  order  to  dry 
fast  and  give  an  invisible  film  on  surface  of  the  brass. 


BRASS  MUST 
BE  PROTECTED 
IN  PLATING 
OPERATION. 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 

YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


CHAPTER  LXXVIII. 


AN  ACID  PROOF  TABLE  TOP. 

FORMULA  No.  1 :  Copper  sulphate,  one  part ;  po¬ 
tassium  chlorate,  one  part;  water,  eight  parts. 
Roil  until  salts  are  dissolved. 

Formula  No.  2:  Aniline  hydrochlorate,  three  parts; 
water,  20  parts. 

Or  if  more  readily  procurable:  Aniline,  six  parts; 
hydrochloric  acid,  nine  parts;  water,  50  parts. 

By  the  use  of  a  brush,  two  coats  of  solution  No.  1 
are  applied  while  hot;  the  second  coat  as  soon  as  the 
first  is  dry.  Then  two  coats  of  solution  No.  2,  and  the 
wood  allowed  to  dry  thoroughly.  Later,  a  coat  of  rawT 
linseed  oil  is  to  be  applied,  using  a  cloth  instead  of  a 
brush,  in  order  to  get  a  thinner  coat  of  the  oil. 

A  writer  in  the  Journal  of  Applied  Microscopy 
states  that  he  has  used  this  method  upon  some  old 
laboratory  tables  which  had  been  finished  in  the  usual 
way,  the  wood  having  been  filled,  oiled  and  varnished. 
After  scraping  off  the  varnish  down  to  the  wood,  the 
solutions  were  applied,  and  the  result  was  very  satis¬ 
factory. 

After  some  experimentations,  the  formula  wTas 
modified  without  materially  affecting  the  cost  and,  ap¬ 
parently  increasing  the  resistance  of  the  wood  to  the 
action  of  strong  acids  and  alkalies.  The  modified  for¬ 


mula  follows : 

Iron  Sulphate  . . ......4  parts 

Copper  Sulphate . . . ..4  parts 

Potassium  Permanganate  . 8  parts 

Water  q.  s . 100  parts 

or 

Aniline  . . 12  parts 

Hydrochloric  Acid  . . ..........18  parts 

Water  q.  s . . . ..............100  parts 

or 

Aniline  Hydrochlorate . . . 15  parts 

Water  q.  s, ....... . ...100  parts 


FORMULA  FOR 
ACID  PROOF 
TABLE  TOP. 


A  MODIFIED 
FORMULA. 


418 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


EBONIZING 
THE  TOP. 


Solution  No.  2  has  not  been  changed,  except  to 
arrange  the  parts  per  hundred.  The  method  of  appli¬ 
cation  is  the  same,  except  that  after  solution  No.  1  has 
dried,  the  excess  of  the  solution  which  has  dried  upon 
the  surface  of  the  wood  is  thoroughly  rubbed  off  before 
the  application  of  solution  No.  2.  The  black  color  does 
not  appear  at  once,  but  usually  requires  a  few  hours 
before  becoming  ebony  black.  The  linseed  oil  may  be 
diluted  with  turpentine  without  disadvantage  and,  after 
a  few  applications,  the  surface  will  take  on  a  dull  and 
not  displeasing  polish.  The  table  tops  are  easily  cleaned 
by  washing  with  water  or  suds  after  a  course  of  work 
is  completed,  and  the  application  of  another  coat  of  oil 
puts  them  in  excellent  order  for  another  course  of  work. 
Strong  acids  or  alkalies,  when  spilled,  if  soon  wiped 
off,  have  scarcely  a  perceptible  effect. 

A  slate  or  tile  top  is  expensive  not  only  in  its 
original  cost,  but  also  as  a  destroyer  of  glassware. 
Wood  tops,  when  painted,  oiled  or  paraffined,  have 
objectionable  features,  the  latter  especially  in  warm 
weather.  Old  table  tops,  after  the  paint  or  oil  is 
scraped  off  down  to  the  wood,  take  the  above  finish 
nearly  as  well  as  the  new  wood. 

To  make  wood  acid  and  chlorine  proof,  take  six 
parts  of  wood  tar  and  12  pounds  rosin,  and  melt  them 
together  in  an  iron  kettle,  after  which  stir  in  eight 
pounds  finely  powdered  brick  dust.  The  damaged  parts 
must  be  cleaned  perfectly  and  dried,  whereupon  they 
may  be  painted  over  with  the  warm  preparation  or 
filled  up  and  drawn  off,  leaving  the  film  on  the  inside. 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


CHAPTER  LXXIX. 


PAINT,  VARNISH  AND  ENAMEL  REMOVERS. 

THE  writer  wishes  to  state  it  has  long  been  his 
opinion  that  a  grave  error  has  been  made  by 
many  finishing  departments  of  the  larger  manu¬ 
factories  in  guarding  the  details  which  are  so  valuable 
to  the  other  industries.  By  other  industries  are  meant 
concerns  making  chairs,  others  making  sideboards,  and 
the  various  lines  ultimately  arriving  on  one  dealer’s 
sales  floor.  The  results  have  shown  variance  in  shade, 
no  matter  how  hard  the  maker  strived  to  get  the  shade 
identical.  It  is  almost  an  impossibility  unless  the  more 
detailed  information  be  at  hand.  What  are  the  results? 

Mrs.  Brown  selects  a  dining  room  table,  made  in 
X,  a  sideboard  made  in  Y,  and  chairs  made  in  Z,  only 
to  find  that  there  is  not  the  uniformity  of  shade  that 
there  should  be.  This  is  where  the  salesman  encoun¬ 
ters  difficulty.  It  is  a  condition  that  should  not  exist; 
it  is  a  condition  that  does  not  help  the  industry;  and 
the  reader  need  only  attend  a  salesmen’s  meeting  to 
obtain  conformation. 

Foreman  finishers  have  been  prone  to  regard  their 
formulas  as  secrets.  These  men  have  kept  the  finish¬ 
ing  department  behind  the  times.  Had  there  been  a 
free  interchange  of  information,  the  possibility  would 
have  been  at  least  greater  harmony  in  the  finished 
product. 

VARNISH  AND  PAINT  REMOVER. 
Dissolve  20  parts  of  caustic  soda  (98  per  cent) 
in  100  parts  of  water;  mix  the  solution  with  20  parts 
of  mineral  oil,  and  stir  in  a  kettle  provided  with 
mechanical  stirrer,  until  the  emulsion  is  complete.  Now 
add,  with  stirring,  20  parts  of  sawdust  and  pass  the 
whole  through  a  paint  mill  to  obtain  a  uniform  inter¬ 
mixture.  Apply  the  paste  moist. 

REMOVE  VARNISH  FROM  METAL. 

To  remove  old  varnish  from  metal  it  suffices  to  dip 


HOAV  VARIANCE 
IN  SHADE 
IS  PRODUCED. 


REMOVING 
OIL  AND  PAINT. 


420 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


ANOTHER 

REMOVER. 


REMOVING 
ENAMEL  AND 
TIN  SOLDER. 


the  articles  into  equal  parts  of  ammonia  and  alcohol 
(95  per  cent). 

TO  REMOVE  WATER  STAINS  FROM  VARNISHED 
FURNITURE. 

Pour  olive  oil  into  a  dish  and  scrape  a  little  white 
wax  into  it.  This  mixture  should  be  heated  until  the 
wax  melts  and  rub  sparingly  on  the  stains.  Finally, 
rub  the  surface  with  a  linen  rag  until  it  is  restored  to 
brilliancy. 

REMOVING  VARNISH,  ETC. 

A  patent  has  been  taken  out  in  England  for  a  liquid 
for  removing  varnish,  lacquer,  tar  and  paint.  The 
composition  is  made  by  mixing  four  ounces  of  benzole, 
three  ounces  or  fusel  oil,  and  one  ounce  of  alcohol.  It 
is  stated  by  the  inventor  that  this  mixture,  if  applied 
to  a  painted  or  varnished  surface,  will  make  the  sur¬ 
face  quite  clean  in  less  than  10  minutes,  and  that  a 
paint  soaked  brush  “as  hard  as  iron”  can  be  made  as 
soft  and  pliable  as  new  by  simply  soaking  for  an  hour 
or  so  in  the  mixture. 

TO  REMOVE  ENAMEL  AND  TIN  SOLDER. 

Pour  enough  oil  of  vitrol  over  powdered  fluorspar 
in  an  earthen  vessel  to  cover  the  parts  from  which 
hydrofluoric  acid  is  generated.  Dip  the  article  by  the 
use  of  a  wire  into  the  liquid  until  the  enamel  or  the 
tin  is  eaten  away  or  dissolved,  which  will  not  injure 
the  article  at  all.  The  action  will  be  more  rapid  if  the 
liquid  is  heated.  Always  do  the  work  in  the  open  air 
and  do  not  inhale  fumes  as  they  are  highly  injurious  to 
the  health ;  do  not  get  any  liquid  on  the  skin  as  hydro¬ 
fluoric  acid  is  a  dangerous  poison.  It  must  be  kept  in 
earthen  or  leaden  vessels  as  it  will  destroy  glass. 

REMOVING  PAINT  AND  VARNISH  FROM  WOOD. 

The  following  compound  is  given  as  one  which  will 
clean  paint  or  varnish  from  wood  or  stone  without 


injuring  the  material: 

Flour  or  Wood  Pulp . 385  parts 

Hydrochloric  Acid . 450  parts 

Bleaching  Powder . 160  parts 

Turpentine . 5  parts 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


PAINT,  VARNISH  AND  ENAMEL  REMOVERS 


421 


This  mixture  is  applied  to  the  surface  and  left  on 
for  some  time.  It  is  then  brushed  off,  and  takes  the 
paint  away  with  it.  It  keeps  moist  quite  long  enough 
to  be  easily  removed  after  it  has  acted. 

PASTE  FOR  REMOVING  OLD  PAINT  OR  VAR¬ 
NISH  COATS. 


1.  Sodium  Hydrate  .... . 5  parts 

Soluble  Soda  Glass..... . . . . 3  parts 

Flour  Paste  . ..6  parts 

Water  . . 4  parts 

2.  Soap  . . 10  parts 

Potassium  Hydrate . 7  parts 

Potassium  Silicate  . . 2  parts 


TO  REMOVE  OLD  ENAMEL. 

Lay  the  articles  horizontally  in  a  vessel  containing 
a  concentrated  solution  of  alum  and  boil  them.  The 
solution  should  be  just  sufficient  to  cover  the  pieces. 
In  20  or  25  minutes  the  old  enamel  will  fall  into  dust, 
and  the  article  can  be  polished  with  emery.  If  narrow 
and  deep  vessels  are  used,  the  operation  will  require 
more  time. 

TO  CHANGE  A  FINISH. 

Hardly  a  factory  exists  that  does  not  have  occasion 
to  use  a  varnish  remover,  but  still  a  greater  demand 
exists  for  spasmodic  use  of  this  article  in  the  retail 
furniture  store.  In  the  former  it  is  often  called  upon 
because  a  finish  has  gone  wrong,  or  the  shade  is  not 
as  ordered,  or  a  piece  finished  one  way  and  in  stock 
would  be  found  preferable  to  change  the  finish  rather 
than  to  run  a  new  one  through  the  factory.  In  the 
latter,  we  will  say  that  golden  oak  chairs  are  on  the 
floor,  but  Mrs.  Brown  would  like  them  in  Early  English 
— to  match  a  certain  dining  room  table  that  particu¬ 
larly  struck  her  fancy.  It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  the 
larger  furniture  stores  have  a  finisher,  whose  duty 
is  to  do  this  transformation  act.  He  needs  a  bit 
of  varnish  remover,  and  with  formulas  at  both  of  these 
places  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  prepare  this  commodity 
when  required. 


PASTE  THAT 
REMOVES 
OLD  PAINT. 


CHANGING  A 
FINISH. 


422 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


THE  FORMULAS 
THAT  WILL 
DO  IT. 


HOW  TO  CLEAN 
UP  A  HARD 
BRUSH. 


Here,  then,  are  two  formulas,  either  one  of  which 


may  be  used  with  success. 

Benzole . 5  quarts 

Acetone  . 21/2  pints 

Carbon  Bisulphide  . 1/2  pint 

Paraffine  Wax . 2  ounces 

Mix  in  order  given,  or 

Benzole . 1  gallon 

Fusel  Oil  . 1  pint 

Acetone  . 1  pint 

Paraffine  Wax . IV2  ounces 


One  has  only  to  get  the  market  price  on  these  articles 
and  figure  the  cost  of  a  gallon  to  convince  himself  that 
the  formula  is  an  asset.  That  either  of  these  formulas 
will  do  the  work  is  a  fact  readily  established. 

TO  CLEAN  BRUSHES  AND  VESSELS  OF  DRY 

PAINT. 

The  cleaning  of  the  brushes  and  vessels  in  which 
the  varnish  or  oil  paint  have  dried  is  usually  done  by 
boiling  with  soda  solution.  This  frequently  spoils  the 
brushes  or  cracks  the  vessels,  if  of  glass;  besides,  the 
process  is  rather  slow  and  dirty.  A  more  suitable 
remedy  is  amyl  acetate,  which  is  a  liquid  with  a 
pleasant  odor  of  fruit  drops,  used  mainly  for  dissolving 
and  cementing  celluloid.  If  amyl  acetate  is  poured 
over  a  paint  brush  the  varnish  or  hardened  paint 
dissolves  almost  immediately  and  the  brush  is  ren¬ 
dered  serviceable  at  once.  If  necessary,  the  process  is 
repeated.  For  cleaning  vessels  shake  the  liquid  about 
in  them,  which  softens  the  paint  so  it  can  be  readily 
removed  with  paper;  in  this  manner  much  labor  can 
be  saved. 

The  amyl  acetate  can  easily  be  removed  from  the 
brushes,  etc.,  by  alcohol  or  oil  of  turpentine. 

TO  REMOVE  OLD  OIL,  PAINT  OR  VARNISH 
COATS. 

1.  Apply  a  mixture  of  about  five  parts  of  potassium 
silicate  (water  glass,  36  per  cent),  about  one  part  soda 
lye  (40  per  cent),  and  one  part  of  ammonia.  The 
composition  dissolves  the  old  varnish  coat,  as  well  as 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


  PRO] 


PROBLEMS  OP  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 

— 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


. 


, 


PAINT,  VARNISH  AND  ENAMEL  REMOVERS 


423 


the  paint,  down  to  the  bottom.  The  varnish  coatings 
which  are  to  be  removed  may  be  brushed  off  or  left 
for  days  in  a  hardened  state.  Upon  being  thoroughly 
moistened  with  water,  the  old  varnish  may  be  readily 
washed  off,  the  lacquer  as  well  as  the  oil  paint  coming 
off  completely.  The  ammonia  otherwise  employed 
dissolves  the  varnish,  but  not  the  paint. 

2.  Apply  a  mixture  of  one  part  oil  of  turpentine 
and  two  parts  of  ammonia.  This  is  effective,  even  if 
the  coatings  withstand  the  strongest  lye.  The  two 
liquids  are  shaken  in  a  bottle  until  they  mix  like  milk. 
The  mixture  is  applied  to  the  coating  with  a  little 
oakum ;  after  a  few  minutes  the  old  paint  can  be 
wiped  off. 


ANOTHER 

PAINT 

REMOVER 


CHAPTER  LXXX . 


WOOD  PUTTY  AND  FILLERS. 

BY  mixing  some  sawdust  of  the  wood  that  is  to  be 
puttied  with  glue-size  and  coloring,  a  filler  for 
nail  holes,  etc.,  may  be  made  that  will  defy  detec¬ 
tion,  if  skillfully  used.  This  is  the  common  cement  or 
putty  used  for  the  purpose,  but  there  are  others. 

A  very  hard  cement  may  be  made  by  melting  an 
ounce  of  brown  rosin  and  an  ounce  of  beeswax  in  an 
iron  pan,  and,  when  the  two  substances  are  perfectly 
melted,  add  any  desired  coloring,  say  Venetian  red, 
yellow  ochre,  and  so  on.  This  cement  must  be  used 
while  hot,  for  it  will  become  hard  as  stone  upon  cooling 
and  will  adhere  perfectly  to  the  wood. 

A  sawdust  cement  may  be  made  by  dissolving  one 
ounce  of  the  best  cabinet  glue  in  16  ounces  of  water — 
hot,  of  course — and  when  the  glue  has  dissolved  and 
the  size  has  been  allowed  to  become  cold,  stir  in  some 
sawdust  of  the  right  kind  (that  of  the  wood  that  is  to  be 
filled,  or  coloring  may  be  added),  then  add  some  whit¬ 
ing,  to  form  a  putty.  This  makes  a  very  satisfactory 
cement. 

A  cement  may  be  made  of  fresh  dry  slaked  lime 
one  part,  rye  flour  two  parts,  with  enough  raw  linseed 
oil  to  form  a  putty;  varnish  may  be  used  instead  of 
the  oil,  making  the  cement  tougher.  Add  any  desired 
coloring. 

Still  another  cement :  Add  together  equal  parts  of 
red  lead,  white  lead,  litharge  and  pulverized  chalk,  all 
dry,  and  mix  into  a  putty  with  raw  linseed  oil  and  a 
little  varnish. 

CABINETMAKER’S  STOPPING. 

Cabinetmaker’s  stopping  is  made  as  follows :  Place 
a  tablespoonful  of  gum  shellac,  a  teaspoonful  of  pul¬ 
verized  rosin  and  a  bit  of  beeswax,  the  size  of  a  hulled 
walnut,  all  into  a  cup  or  small  iron  pot,  and  place  on 
fire  to  melt ;  then  it  may  be  used  like  sealing  wax.  Any 


MAKING  WOOD 
PUTTY  AND 
FILLERS. 


CEMENTS  FOR 
FILLERS. 


426 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


STOPPING 

cabinet¬ 

maker’s 


CRACK 

FILLERS. 


desired  coloring  may  be  added  to  match  the  wood  it  is 
to  be  used  on.  The  stick  form,  when  wanted  for  use, 
may  be  softened  by  holding  in  the  blaze  of  a  candle  and 
allowing  the  melted  portion  to  run  into  the  crack  or 
device  it  is  desired  to  fill.  An  electric  soldering  iron 
is  ideal  for  this  purpose.  The  filling  may  be  levelled 
off  with  a  chisel  or  painter’s  putty  knife. 

HARDWOOD  CEMENT. 

for  On  hardwood  finish,  when  it  is  desired  to  stop  nail 
or  other  holes,  etc.,  it  is  better  to  do  it  after  one  or  two 
work,  coats  of  shellac  or  other  coating  have  been  applied. 
The  idea  is  to  allow  the  shellac  or  other  coating  to 
bring  out  the  color  of  the  wood  as  it  will  appear  in  the 
finish,  when  you  can  match  that  color  with  your 
cement.  If  anything,  the  putty  or  cement  should  be  a 
trifle  darker  than  the  wood,  for  the  wood  will  become 
slightly  darker  in  time,  and  then  the  putty  will  be 
just  right. 

Whiting  putty  for  hardwood  finish  should  be  made 
from  dry  white  lead,  not  whiting,  for  the  lead  gives 
clearer  color  where  the  cement  is  to  be  colored,  besides 
which  the  white  lead  putty,  especially  if  a  little  varnish 
is  added,  will  not  shrink  as  whiting  putty  will.  Some, 
however,  advise  the  use  of  a  little  whiting,  too,  though 
I  do  not  know  why.  A  good  formula  for  such  a  putty 
would  be  as  follows:  Dry  white  lead,  three-fourths 
and  best  Gilder’s  whiting,  one-fourth,  all  mixed  to  a 
stiff  paste  with  boiled  linseed  oil,  or  raw  oil  and  a  little 
rubbing  varnish. 

HARDWOOD  CRACK  FILLER. 

This  crack  filler  can  be  used  on  any  wood  without 
discoloring  the  wood,  that  is,  on  light  wood.  For  dark 
wood  you  will  perhaps  have  to  color  it  a  little  to  match 
the  wood.  Where  the  work  is  to  be  stained  it  will  take 


the  color  of  stain. 

Cornstarch  . 1  part 

Wheat  Flour . 1  part 

Japan  Drier . 1  part 

Linseed  Oil . 1  part 


Mix  the  flour  and  starch  first.  Then  stir  in  the 
japan  drier  to  which  has  been  added  the  linseed  oil. 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


_ _ problems  of  the  finishing  boom 

Your  own  formulas 


/ 


WOOD  PUTTY  AND  FILLERS 


427 


and  mix  as  thick  as  putty  or  to  be  in  easy  working 
shape.  It  is  intended  for  large  cracks  and  openings. 
It  must,  however,  be  given  plenty  of  time  to  dry.  If 
applied  before  the  piece  is  finished,  it  will  take  the 
stain,  but  if  it  is  to  be  used  on  finished  work,  it  should 
be  colored  with  pigment  or  oil  soluble  colors. 

ANOTHER  HARDWOOD  CRACK  FILLER. 

Dissolve  one  ounce  of  borax  in  one-half  pint  of 
water;  mix  four  ounces  of  fine  hardwood-  sawdust, 
eight  ounces  of  silex  and  one  ounce  of  stucco ;  pour  two 
ounces  of  boiled  linseed  oil  drop  by  drop  into  the  borax 
mixture  so  that  it  creams;  then  beat  the  dry  powder 
and  the  liquid  into  a  paste. 

FINE  CRACKS  IN  MAHOGANY. 

Mix  up  some  dry  Venetian  red  with  thick  gum 
Arabic  mucilage  into  a  putty,  and  press  this  well  into 
the  cracks.  The  same  remedy  will  apply  to  other 
woods,  observing  only  the  color  the  putty  should  be. 


FOR  WORK 
ON  MAHOGANY. 


CHAPTER  LXXXI. 


FOR  THE  CLEANING  OF  LEATHER. 


THE  following  formulas  and  methods  are  recom¬ 
mended  for  cleaning  all  kinds  of  leathers  which 
are  to  be  redressed  with  polish  lacquer  or  shellac. 
When  the  color  has  been  removed  in  spots  or  around 
the  edges,  etc.,  from  wear  or  otherwise,  replace  it  by 
preparing  a  dye  that  matches  the  original  shade.  It 
will  be  found,  in  most  cases,  that  a  water  soluble  aniline 
will  do  the  work.  Then  apply  a  strong  solution  to  the 
worn  portion  and  go  over  the  entire  surface.  This  will 
produce  a  uniform  color.  This  will  be  held  and  brought 
out  with  a  coat  of  lacquer,  wax  polish,  or  thin  shellac. 
Spirit  colors  are  good  where  the  leather  is  not  sub¬ 
jected  to  strong  light.  In  this  case,  the  color  can  be  put 
in  the  lacquer  or  shellac  coat.  Here  are  some  formulas 
which  may  be  used  in  preparing  stains  of  this  kind  and 
for  this  purpose. 

For  Tan  or  Russet  Leather  and  Light  Colors. — 
Tragacanth,  two  drams ;  oxalic  acid,  three  drams ; 
water,  32  fluid  ounces.  Mix  and  dissolve.  The  liquid 
should  be  colored  yellowish  with  aniline  yellow  or  saf¬ 
fron. 

For  Black  and  Dark  Colored  Leather. — Yellow 
wax,  four  avoirdupois  ounces;  raw  linseed  oil,  six  fluid 
ounces;  oil  of  turpentine,  20  fluid  ounces;  soap,  two 
and  one-half  avoirdupois  ounces;  hot  water,  28  fluid 
ounces.  Melt  the  wax  at  a  gentle  heat,  then  cautiously 
incorporate  the  two  oils.  The  soap  which  may  be  the 
ordinary  yellow  bar  should  be  in  shavings  and  then  be 
dissolved  in  water.  Now  mix  the  two  liquids,  adding 
sufficient  nigrosine  to  color.  Without  the  nigrosine 
the  mixture  may  be  used  to  color  tan  leathers. 

For  a  Combination  Preparation. — Yellow  wax, 
four  ounces;  potassium  carbonate,  four  drams;  rosin 
soap,  two  drams ;  oil  of  turpentine,  eight  ounces ;  aniline 
yellow  (phosphine),  four  grains;  water  q.  s.  To  12 
ounces  of  water  contained  in  a  suitable  pot,  add  the 


CLEANING 

leather; 

RENEWING 

COLOR. 


VARIOUS 

METHODS. 


PASTE  AND 
POLISH  HELPS. 


WATER 

DRESSING. 


£30 _ PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  RQOivi 

wax  and  the  soap  and  scrapings,  together  with  the 
potassium  carbonate,  and  boil  until  a  smooth,  creamy 
mass  is  obtained.  Remove  the  heat ;  add  the  turpentine 
and  the  dye,  the  last  named  having  been  dissolved  in 
alcohol.  Mix  thoroughly  and  add  sufficient  water  to 
make  the  product  measure  24  ounces. 

The  paste  which  is  used  with  the  liquid  application 
is  composed  of  yellow  wax  and  rosin,  thinned  with 
petrolatum  12  parts,  mixed  according  to  art. 

A  simpler  form  of  the  liquid  polish  is  made  by  dis¬ 
solving  equal  parts  of  yellow  wax  and  palm  oil  in  three 
parts  of  oil  of  turpentine: 


Yellow  Wax  or  Ceresin . 3  ounces 

Spermaceti  . 1  ounce 

Oil  of  Turpentine . 11  ounces 

Asphalt  Varnish  . 1  ounce 

Borax . 80  grains 

Frankfort  Black  .  .1  ounce 

Prussian  Blue  . 21/2  drams 

Oil  of  Mirbane . li/2  drams 


Melt  the  wax,  add  the  borax,  and  stir  until  a  kind 
of  jelly  has  been  formed ;  in  another  pan  melt  the  sper¬ 
maceti;  add  the  varnish,  previously  mixed  with  the 
turpentine;  stir  well  and  add  the  wax;  lastly,  add  the 
colors,  mix  well  and  incorporate  the  oil  of  mirbane. 

For  the  preparation  of  the  water  dressings,  as  a 
general  proposition,  only  those  waxes  are  available 
which  are  capable  of  being  emulsified,  including  car- 
nauba;  beeswax,  japan  and  insect  wax  and  shellac. 
Paraffine,  ceresin  and  mineral  waxes  are  not  available. 
In  order  to  produce  an  emulsion,  it  is  necessary  to  use 
a  small  amount  of  neutral  soap  in  addition  to  the  re¬ 
quired  amount  of  alkali,  though  care  must  be  taken 
to  avoid  an  excess  of  soap,  as  this  would  make  the 
resulting  paste  too  readily  soluble  in  water.  Dress¬ 
ings  of  this  class  are  made  by  heating  the  soap,  alkali, 
wax  and  water  to  nearly  the  boiling  point  of  water, 
stirring  constantly  until  a  uniform  milky  mixture  is 
produced  which,  on  cooling,  solidifies  into  a  mass  of 
the  consistency  of  an  ointment. 

Particularly  in  furniture  store  repair  shops,  is 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


_ PROBLEMS  of  the  finishing  room 

YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


✓ 


FOR  THE  CLEANING  OF  LEATHER 


431 


the  finisher  called  upon  to  refinish  leather,  sometimes 
to  replace  the 'color  and  the  outer  dressing. 

Where  the  leather  is  worn  and  roughened,  coat  with 
a  glue  size,  which  acts  as  a  filler  for  this  porous  leather. 
It  must  be  remembered  that  should  a  stain  coat  be  put 
on  this  roughened  surface  the  absorption  of  color  would 
be  so  great  as  to  cause  a  much  darker  shade.  After 
the  leather  has  been  sized,  prepare  a  stain,  either  a 
water  stain  or  a  spirit  stain  that  will  match,  and  apply 
it  lightly  until  all  of  the  roughened  leather  has  been 
stained  to  match.  When  this  is  thoroughly  dry,  give  a 
thin  coat  of  shellac  or  lacquer.  Where  shellac  is  used 
it  is  better  to  bring  the  leather  to  a  polish  by  repeated 
coats  of  thin  wax.  The  oil  in  the  wax  combines  with 
the  shellac  in  sufficient  quantity  to  render  it  elastic,  so 
that  it  will  not  break  or  crack  with  the  bending  of  the 
leather. 

On  upholstered  furniture,  particularly  where  the 
edges  have  been  badly  worn  or  broken,  it  is  well  to 
attempt  to  rearrange  the  springs  in  such  a  manner 
that  the  folds  will  come  elsewhere.  In  other  words, 
so  that  the  creases  and  folds  of  the  leather  will  change 
and  the  repaired  part  not  be  put  to  the  extreme  use 
that  it  had  been  originally. 

Color  may  be  incorporated  either  in  the  shellac  or 
the  lacquer,  and  this  acts  as  a  staining  and  filling  coat 
all  at  once.  If  it  is  desired  that  either  the  shellac  or 
the  lacquer  coat  shall  be  the  finishing  coat,  then  give 
uncolored  coats  as  such.  Never  leave  as  the  final  coat 
one  that  has  been  colored,  as  it  is  apt  to  crock,  and  as 
spirit  colors  are  partially  soluble  in  water,  stains  are 
apt  to  occur  when  any  moisture  comes  in  contact  with 
the  leather,  which,  of  course,  necessitates  a  final 
coating. 

Leather  upholstering  frequently  is  bruised  on  the 
sales  floor,  in  the  stock  rooms,  or  in  transit.  Where 
the  bruise  is  slight,  this  treatment  often  will  be  found 
sufficient:  Take  a  small  piece  of  leather  of  some  color, 
grained,  moisten  slight  on  the  grained  side,  and  work 
easily  over  the  bruise.  Polish  with  dry  leather. 

When  the  scratch  is  deep  it  should  be  touched  lightly 
with  oil  stain  of  color  to  match.  Rub  just  before  dry- 


REFINISHING 

ROUGH 

LEATHER. 


AVOID  COLOR 
IN  LAST  COAT 
OF  FINISH. 


432 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


OTHER  HINTS 
FOR  CARE  AND 
FINISH  OF 
LEATHER. 


ing  with  the  smooth  side  of  a  soft  piece  of  leather. 

Leather  upholstered  chairs  should  never  be  per¬ 
mitted  to  stand  long  near  stoves  or  radiators.  Heat 
dries  the  finish,  which  then  is  easily  cracked.  When 
leather  shows  signs  of  so  “aging,”  the  following  treat¬ 
ment  will  rejuvenate  it: 

Mix  four  parts  of  water  with  one  of  rich  cream. 
Dip  rag  in  this  and  apply  to  leather,  rubbing  the  mix¬ 
ture  well  into  the  grain.  Wipe  off  immediately  after 
application  with  warm  rag.  Little  or  no  pressure 
should  be  used  in  the  rubbing  to  dry  if  the  dull  finish 
is  to  be  retained. 

This  treatment  may  profitably  be  given  to  the 
leather  chairs  in  the  home  at  housecleaning  time.  The 
housewife  should  know  also  of  the  livening  effect  of  a 
little  warm  water  and  soap  suds,  quickly  rubbed  off 
with  a  warm  rag,  on  her  leather  upholstering. 

Leather  chairs  should  never  be  permitted  to  remain 
long  on  display  near  windows  where  the  sun  can  strike 
them,  as  all  leather  will  fade  to  some  extent  if  exposed 
continually  to  sunlight.  The  grain  leather  is  the  more 
quickly  affected. 

Leather  goods  received  in  the  winter  should  always 
be  allowed  at  least  24  hours  in  a  warm  room  before 
unpacking  or  handling.  After  exposure  to  cold,  leather 
is  stiff  and  liable  to  crack  when  handled. 

A  little  usage  now  and  then  is  better  for  the  leather 
stock  than  long  periods  without  usage  at  all. 

Experts  frequently  use  kerosene  oil  to  renovate 
leather.  This  is  a  difficult  treatment  to  administer 
properly  and  for  the  average  dealer  is  too  likely  to 
result  disastrously.  For  this  reason  it  is  here  omitted. 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


CHAPTER  LXXXII. 


FOR  MATCHING  FINISHES. 

ONE  difficulty  in  matching  is  often  found  in  the 
shellac.  The  piece  you  are  trying  to  match  may 
have  been  coated  with  orange  shellac,  whereas, 
you  are  using  white,  or  vice  versa.  Here  is  a  simple 
test: 

Coat  piece  of  glass  with  orange  shellac  and 
another  with  white  shellac.  Then  look  through  them, 
say  at  a  piece  of  fumed  oak,  and  the  difference  will 
convince  you  at  once  that  the  shellac  coat  in  finishing 
plays  an  important  part. 

SUBSTANTIAL  FILLER  FOR  OAK. 


FORMULA : 

Bolted  English  Whiting . 5  pounds 

Calcined  Plaster . 2  pounds 

Dry  Burnt  Sienna . 1  ounce 

Dry  French  Yellow . i/2  ounce 

Raw  Oil . . . 1  quart 

Benzine  Spirits  . . 1  pint 

White  Shellac . 1/2  pint 

DIRECTIONS: 


Mix  well  and  apply  with  brush,  rub  in  with 
excelsior  or  tow  and  clean  off  with  rag. 


FORMULA  FOR 

MATCHING 

FINISHES. 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


YOUR 


OWN  FORMULAS 


CHAPTER  LXXXIIL 


DENTS,  DEFECTS  AND  KNOTS. 

THE  matter  of  “lifting”  indentations  has  been 
touched  upon  lightly  in  a  previous  chapter,  but 
another  method  will  be  given  here  and  more  in 
detail. 

There  is  a  general  impression  that  a  decided  dent 
in  a  piece  of  wood  or  in  a  piece  of  finished  furniture 
cannot  be  corrected.  Such  is  not  the  truth.  Whether 
the  dent  be  in  a  solid  top  or  in  a  piece  of  veneer  need 
make  no  difference,  it  can  be  effectively  removed.  In¬ 
deed,  such  dents  can  be  repaired  so  that  even  the  expert 
eye  cannot  detect  the  location  of  the  dent. 

The  tools  for  this  work  are  a  knife,  spirit  lamp, 
sticks  of  various  shades  of  wood  cement  and  a  stick 
of  gum  shellac,  shown  in  the  cut  herewith.  The  knife 


THE  IMPLEMENTS  FOR  FIXING  UP  DENTS  AND  BRUISES 


is  a  thick-bladed  shoe  knife.  The  lamp  can  be  bought 
at  any  hardware  store,  but  one  can  be  made  by  cutting 
off  half  the  length  of  a  machine  oil  can  stem,  using  the 
cap  of  a  cartridge  to  cover  the  end  of  the  wick  when 


SERIOUS 
DENTS  CAN 
BE  RAISED. 


436 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


WOOD  CAN  BE 
REPLACED 
SUCCESSFULLY 
WITH  CEMENT. 


VENEER 

BLISTERS 

REMOVED. 


not  in  use.  Thus  is  the  evaporation  of  the  alcohol 
prevented.  The  cement  and  the  shellac  can  be  pur¬ 
chased  readily. 

If  the  dent  is  in  the  white  wood,  wet  the  dent  with 
water,  heat  the  knife  blade,  and  apply  the  knife  to  the 
dent  until  the  water  there  evaporates  into  steam.  Re¬ 
peat  until  the  fibers  of  the  dent  are  raised  up  level  with 
or  above  the  surface.  After  drying  for  an  hour  or  two, 
sandpaper  and  finish  as  usual.  This  process  can  be 
followed  with  all  woods  where  the  surface  is  dented  or 
bruised. 

Where  a  small  piece  of  wood  is  gone,  a  knot  or  bad 
defect  in  the  wood,  this  is  the  method :  Stain  the  defect 
and  all  around  it  in  a  radius  of  an  inch  or  more  with 
the  same  stain  that  the  work  is  to  be  finished  with. 
When  dry,  light  the  spirit  lamp,  select  cement  of  the 
right  color  or  shade,  and  drop  hot  particles  into  the 
defect.  Heat  the  knife  and  press  down  the  cement 
into  all  the  parts.  Cut  down  the  cement  with  a  sharp 
knife  or  chisel,  and  sandpaper  smooth.  The  defect 
must  be  stained  before  the  cement  is  put  in,  as  the 
stain  will  not  hold  over  the  cement,  for  the  cement  in 
the  pore  of  the  white  wood  will  show  light  under  the 
stain. 

Veneer  blisters  can  be  laid  down  with  the  same 
knife  and  spirit  lamp.  After  staining  veneer  work 
press  down  the  blister  with  the  heated  knife,  rubbing 
it  close.  The  work  will  thus  prove  better  than  though 
the  cabinetmaker  undertook  to  raise  the  blister.  Put 
glue  under  it,  and  clamp  it  down  for  an  hour  or  two. 
The  hot  knife  shrinks  the  blister  and  warms  up  the 
glue  underneath,  so  that  a  repair  is  made  that  cannot 
be  detected;  the  surface  has  not  been  broken,  as  it 
would  have  been  had  the  cabinetmaker  cut  it  open 
and  applied  new  glue  to  it. 


CHAPTER  LXXXIV. 


HELP  OFFERED  IN  FIXING  FORMULAS. 

THE  publishers  have  arranged  to  supply  purchasers 
of  this  book  with  small  samples  of  the  anilines 
employed  in  the  production  of  the  formulas  given 

here. 

Recognizing  the  great  importance  of  procuring 
identical  shades  and  the  identical  strength  of  colors  in 
working  out  formulas,  and  knowing  that  there  is  a 
possibility  of  a  variance  when  goods  of  different  manu¬ 
facture  are  employed,  it  was  thought  that  by  rendering 
this  service  it  would  enable  every  one  to  first  establish 
the  correctness  of  shade  and  strength  of  material  before 
attempting  to  produce  results. 

The  following  simple  method  of  procedure  will  be 
found  most  satisfactory : 

From  the  sample  take  five  grains,  carefully  weighed ; 
then  take  five  grains  from  the  regular  stock.  Dissolve 
sample  in  10  ounces  of  water,  and  the  five  grains  from 
stock  dissolve  in  five  ounces  of  water.  The  supposition 
is  that  the  stock  is  of  the  same  strength,  but  that  pos¬ 
sibly  it  is  not.  Place  each  solution  in  a  bottle  of  same 
diameter.  If  the  shade  of  the  stock  solution  is  darker, 
add  water  until  it  is  an  exact  match.  Suppose,  for 
example,  it  requires  but  eight  ounces,  then  it  is  stronger 
than  the  sample  and  the  same  percentage  should  be 
figured  in  making  the  stain.  Eight  ounces  equaling  10 
ounces  of  the  sample  indicates  that  only  four-fifths  of 
80  per  cent  of  the  amount  given  in  the  formula  is  to 
be  used.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  same  amount  of 
water  were  used  and  the  shade  is  darker,  then  continue 
the  addition  of  water  until  match  is  complete,  either 
keeping  exact  count  of  each  quantity  of  water  so  added 
or  by  measuring  entire  amount  after  the  match  has 
been  attained. 

Suppose,  then,  that  we  added  two  ounces  more, 
having  a  duplicate  of  shade  in  15  ounces  of  water, 
whereas  the  original  sample  was  dissolved  in  10.  It 


ANILINES 
FURNISHED  BY 
PUBLISHERS. 


METHOD  OF 
"fixing”  A 
FORMULA. 


438 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


HOW  TO  BE 
CERTAIN  OF 
RESULTS. 


means  that  the  stain  you  have  is  stronger  and  your 
problem  is  this:  In  the  original  you  have  five  grains 
in  10  ounces  of  water,  or  reduced  would  make  it  one 
grain  in  every  two  ounces  of  water.  Your  stock,  how¬ 
ever,  shows  that  the  same  color  is  produced  by  using 
15  ounces  of  the  water  to  the  five  grains,  or  one  grain 
to  every  three  ounces  of  water.  From  which  it  will 
be  seen  at  a  glance  that  your  stock  is  one-third  stronger 
than  is  necessary  to  attain  the  color  actually  sought. 

To  be  absolutely  certain  of  your  results  procure 
white  blotting  paper,  cut  it  into  long,  narrow  strips 
and  immerse  pieces  in  the  two  solutions.  Let  them  dry 
in  the  air ;  do  not  force  the  drying,  also  do  not  remove 
from  the  light;  normal  result  is  what  you  are  after. 
If  when  thus  dried  the  match  is  satisfactory,  you  are 
safe  to  go  ahead.  You  may  find  a  color  that  will  regis¬ 
ter  darker  in  solution,  but  when  it  has  dried  down  in 
this  manner  it  will  not  show  this  way,  and  as  youi 
work  will  require  the  shade  when  dried,  this  manner 
of  testing  is  reliable.  When  a  color  shows  this  pecu¬ 
liarity  it  is  recommended  to  make  the  same  test  on 
wood. 

If  you  wish  a  sample  aniline  to  produce  any  shade 
or  finish  mentioned  in  this  book,  send  10  cents  in  silver 
or  stamps,  for  postage  and  packing,  to  the  publishers, 
and  it  will  be  sent  you  gratis. 


CHAPTER  LXXXV. 


THE  BY-PRODUCTS  OF  COAL. 

THE  accompanying  diagram  should  be  of  great 
interest  to  the  finisher,  inasmuch  as  it  shows 
graphically  the  steps  in  obtaining  aniline  dyes 
from  coal,  or  coal  tar. 

Most  of  the  colors  that  the  finisher  employs  for  his 
art  at  the  present  are  those  obtained  from  coal,  and  as 
he  is  using  these  stains  nearly  every  day  in  the  year,  we 
believe  he  would  find  it  interesting  to  trace  for  a  mo¬ 
ment  the  steps  by  which  his  colors,  and  other  multi¬ 
tudinous  products  are  obtained. 

We  are  indebted  to  Mr.  James  E.  Spindle,  an  expert 
in  the  recovery  and  manufacture  of  coal  tar  products, 
for  much  of  the  following  information,  and  the 
diagram. 

Starting  with  the  raw  product,  coal,  at  the  bottom 
of  the  plan,  the  first  step  is  to  heat  or  distill  the  coal 
in  a  closed  air-tight  retort,  so  that  at  the  end  of  the 
operation,  two  products  remain,  coke,  in  the  retort,  and 
raw  gas  in  the  receiving  chamber.  The  latter,  by  means 
of  suitable  purifying  apparatus,  is  washed  and 
scrubbed ;  this  removes  the  raw  tar,  ammoniacal  liquor, 
sulphur  and  cyanogen. 

The  effluent  used  in  washing  the  gas  is  put  through 
a  separator,  where,  because  of  the  difference  in  density, 
the  ammonia  liquor  and  tar  are  mechanically  separated. 
The  ammonia  thus  obtained  is  concentrated,  and  then 
forms  the  basis  for  a  number  of  products,  such  as 
ammonia  salts,  etc. 

The  distillates  of  coal  tar  are  naphtha,  benzine, 
naphthaline  and  a  number  of  other  products.  Benzine 
and  are  used  in  the  manufacture  of  aniline  dyes. 

Branching  out  from  the  refined  tar  are  three  oils, 
known  as  light,  medium  and  heavy  oils.  Following 
the  light  oil,  we  come  to  a  number  of  products,  then  to 
aniline  salt,  and  tracing  along  to  mauve.  This  product 
is  interesting,  because  it  was  the  first  of  the  aniline 
dyes  and  was  discovered  by  Perkins  in  1865.  It  is  from 


438b 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


these  isolated  components  of  coal  tar  that  we  now  pro¬ 
duce  the  many  coloring  matters  which  are  used  as 
dyes. 

Look  the  chart  over  carefully,  note  how  many  times 
the  word  “dye”  occurs,  along  with  eosine,  chinolin, 


THE  BY-PRODUCTS  OF  COAL 


438c 


indigo,  etc.  At  first  hand,  it  seems  a  long  way  from  the 
black  lumps  of  coal  in  the  engine  room  to  the  stains  for 
your  finishing,  but  by  following  along  the  lines  you  can 
readily  see  how  closely  related  they  really  are,  and  what 
vast  resources  are  hidden  in  the  coal.  Remember,  this 
chart  is  brief;  were  it  fully  carried  out,  the  products 
obtained  would  doubtless  run  into  many  thousands. 
Those  of  the  various  colors  made  alone  would  total  into 
the  thousands.  Then  think  of  the  photographic  devel¬ 
opers,  the  medicines,  oils,  perfumes,  extracts,  etc.  Aye, 
verily,  a  coal  mine  is  a  gold  mine. 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


GENERAL  INDEX 


Acetic  Acid— 

Use  to  help  set  color . . .  172 

Acid  Stains— 

Composition  of,  and  effect.. ..62-64 
Acids — 

Used  in  fuming . 161-164 

See  also  Acetic  Acid;  Acid 
Stains;  Carbolic  Acid; 
Chemicals;  Chromic  Acid; 
Cresylic  Acid;  Gallic  Acid; 
Oxalic  Acid;  Phenol;  Py- 
rogallic  Acid;  Tannic  Acid. 


Adulteration — • 

Fish  oil,  adulterant . 275,  301 

Linseed  oil .  300-301 

Shellac  . 289-291,  293-294 

Turpentine,  governmental 

regulation  . 317-319 

Aeron  Air  Brush  Equip¬ 
ment  . 308-310 

Air  Brush  Equipment— 

Advantages  . 305-310 

Alcohol — 

Solvent  for  shellac . 292-293 

Alcohol  Lamp — • 

Making  .  110 

Alcohol  Stain — 

Application  of .  92 

Keep  from  light .  92 

Sanding  not  required .  92 

Alkalies— 


Do  not  combine  with  anilines  219 
Alkaline  Stains — 

Applied  with  sponge . 79,  80-81 

Composition  of,  and  effect.. ..63-64 
Protection  of  hands  from. ...80-81 
Ammonia — 

Anhydrous,  use  of,  in  fum¬ 
ing  . 148-150 

Methods  of  liberating  in  fum¬ 
ing  . 133,135,137 

140,  142-143,  145-146,  147-150 

Use  of,  in  stains . . .  63 

Anhydrous  Ammonia . 148-150 

Aniline  Dyes— 

Acid  colors  recommended .  168 

Alkalies  do  not  combine  with  219 

Antagonism  of  some . .73-74 

Color,  permanent  and  uni¬ 
form  . . . ..-.73, 177 


Combine  with  certain  chemi¬ 
cals  .  219 

Furnish  95  per  cent  of  water 

stains  .  177 

Groups  of .  178 

Samples  furnished,  for  fix¬ 
ing  formulas . 353,  437-438 

Use  recommended .  167 

Value  of,  in  staining . 34,  36 

Anthracene — 

Use,  in  finishing  room .  229 

Antwerp  Oil  Stain  Finish— 

Formula  .  354 

Antwerp  Oak — • 

Formula  . . . Opp.  354 

Asphaltum — 

Reduction  of,  for  blending 

stain  .  212 

Asphaltum  Varnish- 

Fop  metallic  surfaces .  296 

For  smoke  stack .  337 

In  dipping  process..... . 113-114 

Astringent— 

Gallic  or  tannic  acid . 162-163 

Atmospheric  Conditions — 

Factor  in  drying . 269-270 

Austrian  Oak  Finish — 

Formula  . 353 

Banana  Oil  — • 

Produces  lustreless  finish .  265 

Baronial  Oak  Finish — 

Formulas  .  354 

Bars— 

Polish  formula  for .  399 

Bassett  Method  of  Resilver¬ 
ing  Mirrors . 407-410 

Belgian  Oak  Finish— 

Formula  . 355 

Belt  Glue— 

Formula  .  391 

Bent  Wood— 

Difficulty  in  filling .  123 

Benzol— 

Crude,  refining . 229-230 

Refined — ■ 

Properties  of . 231-232 

Uses  for . 233-235 


440 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


Thinning  agent  for  bronzing 


liquids  .  233 

Bichromate  of  Potash — 

Use  to  help  set  the  color. 

recommended  . 172 

Birch — • 

Cherry  stain  on .  192 

Formula  . . 356 

Curly,  surfacer  for . 254 

Finishes  for . 189-192 

Fuming  process  possible  with  192 

Mahogany  stains  for . 

30,  57,  173,  191,  374,  375,  376 

Matching,  difficulties  in .  189 

Qualities  for  furniture . 

. 189,  191,192 

Toona  on,  formula . 376 

Bird’s  Eye  Maple — 

Finishers  . ...208-210 

Surfacer  for . 254 

Bismark  Brown — - 

Use  in  producing  spirit  ma¬ 
hogany  .  .170-171 

Black  Nigrosine — 

Key  color . . .  85 

Black  Stains— 

Formulas  . 362,  363 

Bleaching— 

Shellac  . 255-256,294 

Stains  on  wood . 402,  403 

Walnut  . 193-195 

Willow  .  197 

Wood,  before  staining . 215-216 

Blending— 

Brush  for .  212 

Fuming  by  staining  process  155 

Processes  . 211-214 

Blisters — 

In  veneer  work,  cause  and 

remedy  . 105-107,  436 

Bog  Oak  Finish — 

Formula  .  355 

Bowser  System  of  Storage 

Tanks  . 327-331 

Brass— 

Shellac  varnish  for .  415 

Bronzing  Liquids — 


Benzol  as  thinning  agent .  233 

Brown— 

Potassium  of  permanganate 

formula  .  203 

Predominating  as  finishing 

color  .  81 

Tannin  and  potash  formula  201 


Brushes — ■ 

Care  of,  in  varnishing. ...259,  335 

Cleaning  . 334,  422 

For  blending .  212 

For  staining . 58,  79-80 

Preservatives  .  80 

Butler  Oak  Finish — 

Formula  . 355 

Cabinet  Work — 

Should  be  well  done,  to  in¬ 
sure  good  finish .  108 

Staining  must  correct  faults 

of  . 87,90 

Cage — ■ 

Wire,  for  dipping  small 

pieces  .  116 

Cane — ■ 

Coloring  . 198-199 

Canvas  Fuming  Box . 146-148 

Carbolic  Acid— 

Crude,  solvent  for  oil  stain  182 

Use  in  finishing  room .  229 

Carvings— 

Staining  .  57 

See  also  End  wood. 

Case  Goods — ■ 

Staining  inside . 57,  223-224 

Caster  Wheels — 

Polishing  by  tumbling .  395 

Cathedral  Oak  Finish— 

Formula  .  356 

Cedar  Chest — 

Filler  .  123 

Celluloid — 

Cements,  formulas..  .393-394,  414 

Coloring  .  414 

Glue  for  .  389 

Celluloid  Varnish — 

Gold  paint  medium .  295 

Cement — • 

Celluloid,  formulas.. .  393-394,  414 
For  filling  holes,  formulas.... 


.  425-426 

Glass  and  metals . 392-393 

Holes  in  crotch  veneer  filled 

with  . 109-110 

Wood  can  be  replaced  with  436 
Chairs— 

Birch,  good  wood  for .  189 

Polishing  by  tumbling .  395 

Chemical  Stains — 

Application  of  each  coat 
separately  . 74-75 


GENERAL  INDEX 


441 


Depend  on  chemical  action 
on  wood  to  produce  color  177 
For  coloring  willow  and  reed  197 


Penerating  power  of .  85 

Trend  is  toward . 81-82 

Chemicals — 

Atmospheric  effect  on .  249 

Combinations  with  vegetable 

extracts,  Table  of . 220-222 

Keeping  .  241 

From  air .  76 

To.  be  avoided .  168 

Cherry  Stain — 

Formulas  . . . . ....356,  357 

On  birch .  192 

On  maple .  209 

Chinese  Teak — 

Formula  . 357 

Chippendale  Acid  Stain  Fin¬ 
ish— 

Formula  .  357 

Chlorinated  Soda — 

Bleach  . 194,  215 

Chromic  Acid — 

Use  not  recommended . .  172 


Cleanliness— 

See  Brushes;  Color  Mate¬ 
rials  ;  Containers ;  Stain¬ 
ing;  Varnish. 

Coal  Tar  Dyes — ■ 

Characteristics  and  uses  .229-235 

Quantities  safe  to  use .  35 

Value  of,  in  staining........ ..34,  35 


Coal,  By-Products  of .  . 438  a 

Color  Materials— 

Addition  of,  to  filler. .1.18,120, 128 
Amount  to  be  used  depends 
on  wood  and  color  shade  172 
Antagonism  of  some  dyes 

and  chemicals........... . 73-75 

Cleanliness  necessary  in  dis¬ 
solving  . . . 68,  75 

Heat  hastens  solubility .  75 

Keep  dry . . ...77-78 

Percentage  of  solubility... 170-171 

Increased  by  heat. . . . 76-77 

Recommended  . . 167, 168 

Reduction  of  color  value  in 

. . . . 167-168,  171 

Solubility  must  fee  known....93-96 
Soluble  in  water,  not  fast  to 

light  . 35 

Solution  by  water  bath 
method  ................................  26 


Varying  affinities  for  woods 

. . . .  111-112 

Which  will  produce  any 

shade  on  market . 226-227 

See  also  Aniline  Dyes; 
Bismark  Brown;  Black 
Nigrosine;  Coal  Tar 
Dyes;  Colors;  Gold  Leaf; 
Gold  Paint;  Mineral 
Dyes;  Permanganate; 
Pigments;  Red  Lead;  Veg¬ 
etable  Colors. 

Colorimeter  . 343-345 

Colors — 

Brown  stains  dominating .  81 

Combinations  to  produce 

tints  in  fillers . 123-124 

Result  of  chemical  changes  164 
Uniformity  of  shade,  method 
of  producing.. ..168-170,  177-179 
Water  stains  have  highest 

color  value .  226 

See  also  Black  Stains; 
Brown ;  Color  Materials ; 
Formulas;  Fuming;  Gray; 
Green;  Matchings;  Stains. 


Containers— 

Cleaning  . 68,  75,  422 

For  lacquer  .  314 

Cost  Keeping . 325-326 

Cotton  Waste — 

For  polishing . 263-264 

Counters — 

Polish  for .  399 

Creosote  Oil — 

Impurities  in . 182-186 

Cresylic  Acid — 

Use,  in  finishing  room .  229 

Crotch  Veneer — See  Veneer. 
Crystallization — 

Effect  on  stain. . ...77,  94 

Curly  Birch — See  Birch. 

Cylinder  Sandpaper  .  51 

Dangers— 

Dipping  process,  with  oil 

stains  . . ...115-116 

Naphtha,  use  of .  18 

Dents— 

Raising  . 435-436 

Dextrin — 

Filler  in  stain  powders .  171 


442 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


Dipping — 

Advantages  . Ill,  114 

Color  uniformity,  maintain¬ 
ing  . 111-115 

Dangers  . 115-116 

Difficulty  of  sap  streaks  in.  ..  90 

Ebonizing  solution .  217 

For  finishing  process . 265-267 

Fuming  by  staining  process 

.  155-156 

Methods  . 111-116 

Stains  . 112-113,115-116 

Dipping  Room — 

Location  and  ventilation .  19 

Drawers — 

Staining  . 223-224 

Driftwood — 

Formulas,  old  and  new.. ..358,  359 
Drying — 

Atmospheric  conditions  im¬ 


portant  factor . 270-271 

Chemical  stains .  73 

Effect  of  light  on . 22-23 

Filler  . 122,251 

Systems  . 271-272 

Varnish  251-252,257-258,  260,  286 

Veneers  . 99-100 

Dusting — 

Necessary  before  application 

of  stain . 92,  257 

Dutch  Brown  Oak  Finish — 

Formula  .  358 

Dyes — See  Color  Materials. 

Early  English  Finish — 

Antique,  formula .  363 

Formulas  . 359-361 

Ebonizing  . 217-218 

Stain  formula . 362 

Tables  .  418 

Electric  Exhaust  Fan .  309 

Electric  Heater  .  309 

Enamel — • 

Removing,  formulas . 420,  421 

Benzol  in .  235 

Enameling — 

Process  . ....237-238 

End  Wood — 

Staining  . 43-44 

English  Oak  Finish — 

Formulas  . 361,  372,  380 

Processes  . 187-188 

Equipment — 

Air  brush  equipment . 305-310 


Finishing  room  . 25-29 

Raising  dents .  435 

Silvering  mirrors .  407 


See  also  Brushes;  Con¬ 
tainers;  Fuming  Box; 
Graduates;  Hydrometer; 
Mortar  and  Pestle;  Scales. 
European  Processes— 

Smoothing  with  pumice  stone 

. . .  47-48 

See  also  French;  German. 


Experiments — 

Card  record  for . 30-32 

Matching  samples . 245-250 

See  also  Tests. 

Felt  Filter .  77 

Felt  Pad — 

For  polishing . 262,  339-340 

Filler — 

Application  of . 


.  119,121-122,129,130 

Apply  thin  on  finely  grained 


wood  .  174 

Bent  wood  difficulties .  123 

Cements  for  holes . 425-426 

Cleaning  off . 127,129 

Clearness  in,  essential _ 173-174 


Color  combinations  for  . .123-124 
Color  material,  addition  of 

.  118-120,128 

Color  sometimes  depends  on 

. 29,  84,170 

Cracks  and  holes,  formulas 

.  425-427 

Drying  . 122,  251 

For  crotch  veneer.. .  89 

For  mahogany . 130-131 

For  oak . 119,120,122 

Formula  .  433 

For  rosewood .  130 

Importance  of . 117, 118 

Ingredients  . 125-127 

Japan,  brown,  as  drier .  126 

Kinds  and  qualifications  117-118 

Linseed  oil  as  binder .  126 

Mahogany,  do  not  put  black 

in  .  174 

Matching  . . . 174,  246 

Novelty  finishes  for  oak .  207 

Omit  on  birch  in  mahogany 

finish  . 173,175 

Open  grained  woods .  334 

Preparation  and  application 

. 117-124,  125-131 

Putties  . 425-427 

Rub  across  grain . 119, 122, 129 


GENERAL  INDEX 


443 


Silex  in  . 119, 120, 125 

Silica  pigment . . .  125 

Time  limit  in  which  filler  is 

at  its  best .  126 

Vegetable,  disadvantage  of..  117 

White,  formula  .  127 

Filter — 

Felt  . 77 

Finishing — • 

Back  of  furniture .  224 

Changing  finishes . 227-228,  421 

Cost  keeping . 325-326 

Dipping  process  of . 265-267 

Direct  sunlight  to  be  avoided 

in  . 23 

Drawers  . . 223-224 

Good  work  in  early  stages 

counts  . 251,  253 

Materials,  storage  of . 327-331 

Preparation  of  woods  for.. ..41-45 
Rapid  processes  of  the  fu¬ 
ture  • . 18,  252 

Unevenness  in,  cause . 39-40 

See  also  Bleaching;  Blending; 
Dipping;  Drying;  Ebonizing; 
Enameling;  Filler;  Finishing 
Room;  Formulas;  Fuming; 
Graining;  Lacquers;  Letter¬ 
ing;  Matchings;  Novelty  Fin¬ 
ishes  ;  Polishing ;  Rubbing ; 
Sanding;  Sponging;  Staining; 
Surfacing;  Tumbling;  Var¬ 
nish;  Veneer. 

Finishing  Room— 

Equipment  . 25-29 

Heating  . 19-20,  272 

Hot  water  facilities  in . .....23-24 

Lighting  . . 21-23 

Location  . 17 

Planning  . 17-24 

Problems  of . 322-324 

System  . 25-32 

Ventilation  . 17-19 

Whitewash  not  desirable  for 

ceiling  . 21-22 

See  also  Dipping  Room ; 
Fuming  Box. 

Fish  Oil — 

Adulterant  . . . . 275,  301 

Fitch— 

For  applying  turpentine 

stains  . 58 

Flanders  Stain — 

Formula  . . ; . . . . .  364 

Flash— 

Test  of  varnish .  283 


Formulas — 

Accuracy  important . 347-348 

Acid  proof  finish  for  table 

tops  . 417-418 

Antwerp  oil  stain .  354 

Birch- 

Fumed  oak  color  for .  190 

Stained  mahogany . 

. 30,  173,374,375,376 

Black  stains . 362,  363 

Bleaching  stains  on  wood .  402 

Blending  mixture  for  fumed 

oak  .  213 

Blending  stain  for  golden 

oak  .  211 

Browns  from  tannin  and 

potash  .  201 

Card  record  for . 30-32 

Celluloid — 

Cements  . 393-394,  414 

Coloring  . 414 

Cement — 

Celluloid  ..• . 393-394,  414 

For  filling  holes . 425-426 

For  glass  and  metals.. ..392-393 
Cherry  stain — 

On  birch .  356 

On  pine .  357 

Chinese  teak .  357 

Chippendale  acid  stain .  357 

Chlorinated  soda  bleach  194, 215 

Cleaner  for  furniture .  398 

Doctoring  . 184-185 

Drift  wood,  old  and  new  358,  359 

Early  English . . . 359-361 

Antique  .  363 

Ebonizing  solution .  217 

Ebony  stain .  362 

Enamel,  removing . 420,  421 

Filler,  white . . . 127 

Finish  for  inside  case  work 

.  223-224 

Flanders  .  364 

Forest  green .  364 

Frosted  glass .  401 

“Fumed  birch” .  190 

Fumed  oak . 364-370 

Limbert’s  No.  8 .  373 

Oil  stains . 366-367 

Fuming,  stain  for . 156-157 

General  principles . 167-172 

Glue- 

Belt  . -  391 

For  celluloid..... .  389 

For  leather  on  card  board  391 
For  paper  and  metal .  390 


444 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


For  wood,  glass,  metals, 


etc .  391 

Liquid  . 387-389 

Marine  . 391-392 

Uniting  metals  with  fab¬ 
rics  .  391 

Water-proof  . 389-390 

Graining  to  match  woods  405-406 

Kaiser  gray .  372 

Kenilworth  .  373 

Leather — 

Rejuvenating  .  432 

Renewing  color . 429-430 

Lettering  on  glass .  413 

Mahogany  stain . 374-376 

Antique  .  353 

G.  R.  M.  standard .  371 

Old  restoring  color .  401 

On 'birch . 30,173,374,375 

Prima  vera .  377 

Sheraton  .  379 

Maple — - 

Gray  . 371 

Matching  samples....  247-248,  250 
Novelty  finishes  for  oak  206-207 

Oak— 

Austrian  .  353 

Baronial  .  354 

Belgian  .  355 

Bog  .  355 

Butler  .  355 

Cathedral  .  356 

Dutch  brown .  358 

English  .  361 

Filler  .  433 

Fumed  .  364-370 

Fumed — 

Limbert’s  No.  8 .  373 

Oil  stains.  . 366-367 

Golden — 

Matching  . .  250 

Oil  soluble  stain . 188,  377 

Water  soluble  stain .  382 

Jacobean  .  372 

Malachite  .  376 

Novelty  finishes  for . 206-207 

Old,  oil  stain .  31 

Oriental  .  376 

Silver  finish  . .  379 

Stratford  .  380 

Weathered  . 382-385 

Oxalic  acid  bleach .  215 

Paint — 

For  coating  mirror .  410 

Removing  . 419-423 

Paper,  sticking  to  tin .  401 

Piano  finish  polish .  399 


Pitting  of  piano  varnish, 

remedy  .  403 

Polish  . 263,  397-399 

French,  for  hand  polishing  342 
Potassium  permanganate  for 

producing  brown . . .  203 

Putties  for  holes  and  cracks 

.  425-427 

Red  lead  paint .  296 

Rosewood  stain .  378 

Sample  stain,  for  keeping  in 

stock  .  241 

Samples  furnished  for  fix¬ 
ing  . 353,437-438 

Shellac  .  378 

Substitute  .  378 

Varnish  for  brass .  415 

Silvering  mirrors . 

.  408-409,411-412 

Stain  powder,  amount  of, 
used  depends  on  wood  and 


shade  of  color .  172 

Standard  Finishes,  New . 385a 

Stopping  for  cab’t  mkr... .425-426 
Surfacer  for  dipping  process  266 

Tin  solder,  removing .  420 

Tobacco  brown .  380 

Toona  .  376 

Uniform  color  shades,  pro- 


Uniform  standard,  main¬ 
taining  .  167 

Van  Dyke  brown,  on  gum- 

wood  .  380 

Varnish — 

Reducer  .  257 

Removing  . 274-275,  419-423 

Surfacer  . 253-254 

Verda  green .  381 

Walnut  finishes . 381-382 

Water  marks  on  varnish,  re¬ 
moving  .  420 

Wax — • 

Furniture  City .  371 

Palmetto  .  377 

Finish  protector .  402 

Fourdrinier  Sandpaper .  51 

French — 

Polishing  methods . 342,  397 

Use  of  American  bird’s  eye 
maple  .  208 

Fumed  Oak — See  Oak. 

Fumexer — 

In  air  brush  equipment .  309 

Fumine  .  138 


GENERAL  INDEX 


445 


Fuming — 

Acids  used  in . . . 161-164 

Ammonia  process . . . 

.  133-150,151-154 

Birch  .  192 

Brush,  process  for . 325-326 

Colors — 

Controlled  by  length  of 

process  .  151 

Strengthened  by  use  of 

oil  . 151 

Compounds  which  facilitate 

process  . 152 

Dipping  small  pieces . 155-156 

English  oak  finishes . 187-188 

Flake  difficulties  in  staining 

process  . 158-159 

Glue  joints  parting,  remedy  165 
How  to  shorten  time  of  proc¬ 
ess  . 152-153 

Now  becoming  general .  82 

Oak  formulas . 364-370,  373 

Real  versus  imitation .  150 

Soil  has  influence  on . 151 

Staining  process . 155-160 

Tanned  bark  extract  varies 

color  .  142 

Tannic  acid  facilities . .152-153 

Uniformity  in  result,  ob¬ 
taining  . 151, 153 


Fuming  Box — 

Apparatus  for  fuming . 

133-138,  140,  145-146,  147-150 

Canvas  . 146-148 

Construction  . 133-150 

Location  . 133, 143 

Size  . 133,142,143 

Temperature  .  138 

Test  box,  construction....l39, 141 
Union  Furniture  Co.’s  box, 

Rockford,  Ill . 143-146 

Ventilation  . ..143, 148 


Fusel  Oil— 

Used  in  air  brush  coating....  307 


Gallic  Acid — 

Nature  of  . . 162 

Garnet  Sandpaper .  52 

Gas  Oil — 

Impurities  in . . . 182, 185-186 

Gases— 

Accumulation  in  finishing 

and  dipping  rooms....... . 17-19 

German — 

Method  of  polishing .  397 


Text  book,  quoted  *  on  sand¬ 


ing  process .  48 

Glass — 

Cement  for,  formulas . 392-393 

Drilling  holes  in..... .  414 

Frosted,  formulas  for .  401 

Glue  for,  formula .  391 


Lettering  or  ornamenting  413-414 
See  also  Mirrors. 


Glue — 

Belt,  formula . 391 

For  celluloid,  formula . 389 

For  leather  on  cardboard, 

formula  .  391 

For  paper  and  metal,  form¬ 
ula  .  390 

For  sandpaper .  51 

For  wood,  glass,  metals,  etc., 

formulas  . 391 

Liquid,  formulas . 387-389 

Marine,  formula . 391-392 

Size,  use  of,  in  preparing 
mahogany  veneer  for 

stain  . 103-104 

Uniting  metals  with  fabrics, 

formula  .  391 

Used  on  sap  streaks .  88 

Water-proof,  formulas....  389-390 
Gold  Leaf — • 

Applying  .  333 

Gold  Paint .  295 

Golden  Oak— See  Oak. 


Government  Regulation — • 

Sale  of  turpentine . 317-319 

Graduates  ................................26-27 

Graining — • 

Formulas  for  various  colors 
. . .  405-406 

Plain  wood  . . 56 

Grand  Rapids  Manufactur¬ 
ers’  Standard  Formulas — 

Fumed  oak .  368 

Mahogany  .  371 

Weathered  oak .  383 


Gray — 

Maple,  formula .  371 

Novelty  finishes  in . 205-210 

Green— 

Forest  green,  formula .  364 

Verda,  formula .  381 

Gum— 

In  lacquers .  313 

Used  in  varnish .  273 


446 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


Gum  Wood — 

Finishes  for  . 243-244 

Finishing  to  match  mahog¬ 
any  . . 174, 175 

Van  Dyke  brown  on,  form¬ 
ula  .  380 

Gun  Metal  Finish.. .  207 

Hand  Polishing . 261,  264 

Hands — 


Protection  of,  from  stains.. ..80-81 
Heat— 

Aids  penetration  of  stain 


into  wood . 79,  85 

Discolors  silvering .  411 

Hastens  solubility  of  color 

materials  .  75 

Increases  percentage  of  solu¬ 
bility  of  colors . 76-77 

Heat  Stain— 

Removing  . 334 

Heating — - 

Electric  heater . 309 

Finishing  room . 19-20,  272 


With  air  brush  equipment.  .. 

. 307,  309 

See  also  Temperature. 


Hot  Water — 

Colors  dissolved  in . 75-76 

Facilities  in  finishing  room  23-24 
Hotel  Furniture — 

Birch,  good  wood  for .  192 

Humidity — 

Effect  on  varnish . 270-271 

Hydrometer  .  183 

Ink  Stain— 

Removing  from  wood .  403 

Inlay  Wood — 

Imitating  .  203 

Iron — 

Precaution  in  use  of .  208 

Used  in  fuming  by  staining 

process  . 158-160 

Iron  Spots — 

In  wood,  removing .  216 

Jacobean  Finish — 

Formula  .  372 

Process  .  187 

Japan — 

Benzol  in . . .  235 

Brown,  as  drier  for  filler .  126 


Joining  Room — 

Lax  methods  in,  effect  finish 

.  322-323 

Joints — 

Glued,  parting  in  fuming, 


remedy  .  165 

Kaiser  Gray . 205,  210 

Formulas  .  372 

Kauri  Gum — - 

Used  in  varnish .  273 

Kenilworth  Finish — 

Formula  .  373 

Process  . 187-188 

Knots — 

In  wood,  staining . 88-89 

Rosin  in,  removing .  296 

Lac — 

Source,  and  preparation  for 

market  . 291-292 

Lacquers — 

Production  of . 313-316 

Used  on  gumwood .  243 

See  also  Varnish. 

Lapping — 

Avoided  .  333 

Laurie,  Dr.  A.  P. — 

Instrument  for  testing  hard¬ 
ness  of  varnish .  278 

Laws — 

Michigan  act  regulating  sale 

of  turpentine . 317-319 

Leather — 

Glue  for  sticking  on  card¬ 
board,  formula .  391 

Renovating  or  recoloring  429-432 
Lettering — 

Glass  . 413-414 

Lighting — 

Finishing  room . . 21-23 

Linseed  Oil — 

Adulteration  . 300-301 

Binder  in  filler .  126 

Darkens  wood . 301-303 

Produces  richness  in  fuming  151 

Refining  .  300 

Source  of . 299-300 

Tests  . 300-301 

Used  in  varnish .  273 

Liquid  Filler . .  118 

Liquid  Glues — 

Formulas  . 387-389 


GENERAL  INDEX 


447 


Liquids — 

Care  of . 241 

Lye— 

Does  not  help  set  color.. .  172 

Mahogany — 

Antique,  formula .  353 


Birch  stained  to  match, 

formulas  and  methods . 

. 30,  57,  173,  374,  375 

Blending  not  much  needed  on  214 

Carvings  on,  staining .  57 

Changing  finish  . .  228 

Color  shades,  matching.. ..169-170 

Cracks,  filling .  427 

Defects  in,  correcting . 107-108 

Filler  for . 125,130-131 

Formulas  for  stains . 374-376 

G.  R.  M.  standard  formula  371 

Graining  plain  wood .  56 

Imitation,  formulas  and 

methods  of  staining . 173-175 

Maple  stained  as .  209 

Surfacer  for . 254-255 

Potash  in  stain,  question¬ 
able  .  219 

Prima  vera,  formula . .  377 

Restoring  color  to  old,  form¬ 
ula  . . 401 

Sheraton,  formula .  379 

Specks  in  finish,  removing....  402 
Spirit,  producing  with  Bis- 

mark  brown . 170-171 

Stain  formula  on  the  market 

.  171-172 

Stains,  formulas . 374-376 

Surfacer  for . 255-256 

Veneer,  preparation  for 

staining  . ' . 103-108 

Malachite  Oak  Finish — 

Formula  . 376 

Maple— 

Gray,  formulas . 371 

Novelty  finishes . 208-210 

Surfacer,  when  staining  ma¬ 
hogany  . 254-255 

Marine  Glue— 

Formula  . 391-392 

Matchings — 

Colorimeter  for . 343-345 

Formula  for  graining  to 

match  woods . 405-406 

Mahogany  .  57 

Procedure  for . 245-250 

Shellac,  test . .  433 

System  of  records . 25,  30-32 


Testing  .  170 

Mercury — 

Not  used  for  mirrors  now....  410 
Metals— 

Glue  for,  formulas . 390,391 


See  also  Brass;  Tin. 

Metric  System — 

Recommended  ....347-349,  351-352 
Michigan  Laws — 

Act  regulating  sale  of  tur¬ 


pentine  . 317-319 

Mineral  Dyes — 

Permanency  of . 36 

Mineral  Turpentine — 

Use  in  filler .  120 

Mirrors — 

Cleaning  .  414 

Resilvering  . 407-412 

Mission  Finish — 

Filler  for .  121 

Moisture — 

Effect  on  color  materials... .77-78 

Effect  on  sandpaper .  53 

Mortar  and  Pestle . 28-29 

Naphtha — 

Brings  out  difference  of 

shade  . 153, 155 

Danger  in  use  of .  18 

Heavy,  properties  of . 230,  232 

Solvent,  properties  and  uses 

. 231,232 

Naphthalene — 

Use,  in  finishing  room .  229 

Naphthalene — • 

In  oil  solvents,  injurious  to 

stain  . 182-186 

Nitrated  Cotton — 

Preparing  for  lacquer .  313 

Novelty  Finishes . 205-210 

Oak— 

Austrian  finish,  formula .  353 

Baronial  finish,  formulas .  354 

Belgian  finish,  formula .  355 

Bog  finish,  formula .  355 

Butler  finish,  formula .  355 

Cathedral  finish,  formulas....  356 
Dutch  brown  finish,  formula  358 

English  finish,  formula .  361 

Filler  for . 119,120,122 

Formula  .  433 

Formulas  for  novelty  fin¬ 
ishes  . 206-207 


448 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


Fumed — - 

Ammonia  process . 

. 133-150,  151-154 

Blending  mixture  for . ,  213 

Formulas  . . . 364-370,  373 

Staining  process . 155-160 

Golden — 

Blending  processes .  211 

Changing  finish  to  fumed 

oak  .  228 

Filling  . -  122 

Matching  . . . .  250 

Oil  soluble  stain,  formula 

.  188,377 

Water  soluble  stain,  form¬ 
ula  .  382 

Jacobean  finish,  formula .  372 

Malachite  finish,  formulas.-..  376 

Novelty  finishes . 205-208,  210 

Old,  oil  stain,  formula .  31 

Oriental  finish,  formula .  376 

Printing  figures  on  imitation  255 

Silver  finish,  formula .  379 

Stain  oozing,  remedy . 58-59 

Stratford,  formula .  380 

Tannic  acid  in,  important 
factor  in  producing  color 

.  177-178 

Uniformity  of  color  shade, 


producing  . 168-169 

Varnish  surfacer  for .  253 

Weathered,  formulas . 382-385 

Oil  Stains — - 

Antwerp,  formula .  354 

Applying  .  58 

Benzol  in .  234 


Early  English,  formula  359,  361 

Fumed  oak,  formulas . 366-367 

Golden  oak,  formulas . 188,  377 

In  dipping  process. ...113, 115-116 

Jacobean  finish . 187 

Nature  of,  is  a  suspension. ...  96 

Old  oak  finish,  formula _  31 

On  imitation  mahogany.  .  175 

Quicker  than  water  stain....  175 

Sanding  not  required  on .  92 

Solvents  for,  impurities  in 

.  182-186 

Treatment  of  sap  streaks 

with  .  88 

Use  of,  in  cold  weather. .181-186 

Value  of . 62,64-65,69,  226 

Oils — 

Depth  of  color  produced  by  85-86 
Distribution  of,  in  factory  ...  331 
Do  not  use  between  coats  on 
imitation  mahogany .  174 


Establishing  uniform  stand¬ 
ard  for . 183-184 

Impurities  in,  injurious  in 

stain  . 182-186 

Storage  of,  in  factories.. ..327-331 

Used  in  varnish . 273-275 

See  also  Banana  oil;  Creosote 
Oil;  Fish  Oil;  Fusel  Oil;  Gas 
Oil;  Linseed  Oil;  Naphtha; 
Oil  Stains;  Pitches;  Tar  Oil; 


Toluol;  Turpentine. 

Oriental  Oak  Finish — 

Formula  .  376 

Oxalic  Acid — 

As  bleach . 195,  215 

Paasche  Air  Brush  Method — 
.  305-308. 

Paint — 

Coating  silvered  mirror .  410 

Not  used  in  true  staining. ...83-84 

Red  lead  for . 296 

Removing,  formulas  . . 419-423 

Smoke  stack .  337 

See  also  Enamel;  Pigments. 
Palmetto  Wax — 

Formula  .  377 

Paper — 

Sticking  to  tin,  formula .  401 

Paraffine  Wax — 

Applying  .  334 

For  tumbling .  395 

Paste  Filler .  117 

Reducing  to  a  liquid . .  128 

Permanganate — 

Formula  for  producing 

browns  .  203 

Peroxide  of  Hydrogen — 

Bleach  .  195 

Petrolatum — 

Vaseline  substitute .  81 

Pews — 

Sticky,  remedy .  403 

Phenol — 

Use,  in  finishing  room .  229 

Pianos — 

Hand  polishing  on .  261 

Keys,  polishing .  ..  °1'7 

Pitting  of  varnish,  remedy..  403 

Polish,  formula .  399 

Preserving  polish . 399-400 

Temperature  for  show  rooms  399 
Pigments— 

In  filler .  125 


GENERAL  INDEX 


449 


Red  lead .  296 

Should  not  be  used  in  stains  170 
See  also  Color  Materials; 
Silex;  Silica. 

Pine — 

Cherry  stain  on,  formula .  357 


Pitches — 

Use  of  .  229 

Polishing — - 

Enamel  .  237 

Formulas  . 342,  397-399 

French  method . 342,  397 

German  method .  397 

Methods  . 261,  263-264,  339-341 

Secret  of,  is  good  founda¬ 
tion  .  399 

Tumbling  process .  395 

See  also  Rubbing. 

Potash — 

In  mahogany  stain,  question¬ 
able  .  219 

Prima  Vera  Mahogany  Fin¬ 
ish  Formula .  377 

Printing — 

Oak  figure  for  imitation 

oak  .  255 

Varnish  difficulty .  251 

Pumice  Stone — 

Process  of  smoothing  with  47-48 

Used  in  rubbing . 261-262 

Pump — 

For  fuming  box . , . 145, 146 

Putties — 

For  wood . ..425-427 

Pyrogallic  Acid — 

Nature  of . . .  163 

Radiators — 

In  finishing  room .  20 

Records— 

Matchings  . ...................25,  30-32 

Red  Lead — 

For  paint .  296 

Ppph _ _ 

Coloring  . ...197-198 

Rockford.  III. — 

Union  Furniture  Co.’s  fum¬ 
ing  box . 143-146 

Rosewood — 

Filling  . 130 

Stain,  formula .  378 

Rosin— 

Add  to  oil  stain .  181 


In  knots,  removing .  296 

Shellac  adulterated  with .  290 

Rotten  Stone — 

Use  in  polishing .  261 

Royal  Early  English  Finish — 

Formula  .  363 

Rubbing — 

Machine  . 341-342 

Methods  . 339-341 

Pumice  stone  used  in . 

. .  47-48,261-262 

See  also  Polishing. 

Russian  Brown  Finish .  210 

Samples — 

Colors,  furnished,  for  fixing 


Sanding — 

Block  for . 47,257 

Cedar  chest .  123 

Danger  of  “cutting  through”  45 

Effect  on  depth  of  color . .  103 

Essentials  . 33 

European  process . . . 47-48 

Good  finish  depends  on .  47 

Linseed  oil  finish .  302 

Preliminary  to  finishing _ 42-45 

Shellac  . 256-257 

Should  be  done  with  the 

grain  of  the  wood .  47 

Uniformity  essential .  50 

Varnish  . 50-51 

Veneers  . 103-104 

Water  stains .  91 

Sandpaper — 

For  shellac .  256 

Garnet  .  52 

Moisture,  effect  of,  on . 49,  53 

Process  of  making . 51-52 

Testing  . 53 

Varieties  . 48-49,  51,52 

Sanitary  Wood  Work — 

Finishing  . 266-267 

Sap  Streaks — 

Methods  of  overcoming . 87-88 

Scales— 

Balance  scales . 26,  28,  32 

Scratches — 

In  varnish,  obliterating .  275 

Sea  Moss — 

For  cleaning  off  filler .  129 

Seasoning  Wood — 


Old  and  new  methods.. ...... 


41 


450 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM! 


Shellac — 

Adulteration  of  289-291,  293-294 

Application  of . 292,  294 

As  filler . 117,  130 

As  surfacer . 252,  253,  254, 256 

Bleached,  surfacer  for  ma¬ 
hogany  . 255-256 

Bleaching,  causes  difficulties  294 

Filler  for  cedar  chest . .  123 

Formulas  .  378 

Matching,  test .  433 

Repairing  blemishes  with .  297 

Sanding  . 256-257 

Solvents  . 292-293 

Source,  and  preparation  for 

market  . 291-292 

Stiffens  and  holds  up  fuzz 

for  sanding . 104-105 

Substitute,  formula .  378 

Turning  milky,  remedy. ...293,  294 
Turning  white  or  gray,  rem¬ 
edy  .  297 

Varnish  for  brass,  formula  415 
Veneer  checking  remedied 

by  . 100-101 

White,  difficulty  with. . 293-294 

Working  heavy,  remedy _  294 

See  also  Varnish. 

Sheraton  Mahogany  Finish — 

Formula  .  379 

Silex — • 

In  varnish  surfacer .  254 

Makes  clear  filler .  174 

Pigment  for  filler.. .119, 120, 125 
Silica — 

As  pigment  for  filler .  125 

Silver  Oak  Finish . 205,  210 

Formula  .  379 

Silvering 

Mirrors  . 407-412 

Sixteenth  Century  English 
Oak  Finish — 

Process  .  188 

Smoke  Stack— 

Painting  .  337 

Solubility— 

Of  color  materials . 

. 75,  76-78,  93-96,  170-171 

Solvents — 

For  lacquers .  313 

For  oil  stains,  impurities  in 

. .  182-186 

Naphtha,  properties  and  uses 

.  231.  232 

Shellac  . 292-273 


Texico  spirits,  comparative 

with  turpentine .  295 

Water,  eare  in  use  of .  75 

See  also  Acids;  Oils;  Stains; 
Turpentine. 

Specific  Gravity — 

Varnish  test .  282 

Spirit  Mahogany  Finish — 
Producing  with  Bismark 
brown  . 170-171 

Spirit  Stain — 

Early  English  formula .  359 

Nature  of,  is  a  suspension  96 

On  imitation  mahogany .  175 

Process  of  applying .  239 

Treatment  of  sap  streaks 

with  .  88 

Value  of . 62,  64-65,  69,  226 

Weathered  oak,  formulas _  385 

See  also  Alcohol  Stain. 

Spirit  Varnish — 

Avoid  for  high  class  work....  279 

Sponging  . 42-44 

Resinous  woods  . 91 

Veneers,  advantages  104, 105-108 

Staining — 

Application  of  stains . 

. . . 55-58,  79-81,  91-92 

Acid  and  alkaline  stains 

to  same  piece .  64 

Each  color  separately  in 
case  of  uncertainty  .35, 73-74 

Brushes  for .  58,  79-80 

Certainty  of  results,  obtain¬ 
ing  . 67-68 

Cleanliness  of  containers  im¬ 
portant  . 68,  75 

Clear  solution  is  essential 

. 73-75,  93-96 

Definition  of . 83-84 

Depth  of  color  obtained  by 

rubbing  with  oil . 85-86 

Development  of  art .  33 

Good  staining  not  merely 

coloring  .  93 

Ideal  light  for .  23 

Inside  of  case  goods. ...57,  223-224 

Knotty  surfaces . 88-89 

Large  surfaces . 87-90 

Natural  aptness  for  work 

required  .  55 

Process  of  fuming  oak  . .155-160 

Protection  of  hands . 80-81 

Records  of  experiments . 30-32 

Re-staining  patches .  58 


GENERAL  INDEX 


451 


Sap  streaks,  methods  of 


overcoming  . 87-88 

Speed  necessary .  55 

Sponge  for .  79 

Time  between  coats .  73 

Uniformity  of  method  desir¬ 
able  . 55-56 


Sec  also  Blending;  Color  Ma¬ 
terials;  Dipping;  Drying; 
Ebonizing;  Enameling;  Fin¬ 
ishing;  Formulas;  Fuming; 
Graining;  Matchings;  Stains; 
Surfacing;  Varnish;  Veneers. 
Stains — 

Care  of  materials . 241-242 

Classification . 61-65,  83-85 

Composition  . ....61-65 

Cost  of . . . 68-69 

Dipping  process,  prepara¬ 
tion  and  application. ...112-116 

Filter  for  ...t .  77 

Formulas  . 353-385 

Matching,  procedure . 245-250 

Mixed  dry,  shake  before 

using  .  241 

Odd  shades,  producing . 67-68 

Penetration  of . 91-96 

Permanency  and  fastness  of 

. 34-37,  92 

Pigments  should  not  be  used 

in  .  170 

Prepared,  changing  shade 

of  . . 225-227 

Requisites  of . . .  34 

Samples  of,  kept  in  stock .  241 

Sediment  in  mahogany  stain, 

cause  .  171 

Transparent,  essential . 173-175 

Uniform  standard,  method 

of  maintaining . 167-168 

Wood’s  reaction  to,  varied.. 71-72 
See  also  Acid  Stains;  Alcohol 
Stain;  Alkaline  Stains;  Ani¬ 
line  Dyes;  Black  Stains; 
Chemical  Stains;  Color  Mate¬ 
rials;  Colors;  Ebonizing; 
Enamel;  Formulas;  Match¬ 
ings;  Oil  Stains;  Spirit  Stain; 
Staining;  Turpentine  Stain; 
Water  Stains. 

Steam  Coiu— 

Facilitates  fuming  process.... 

...: . . .  135,  137 


Steam  Heating . . .  20 

Steam  Pipes — 

Location  of,  in  finishing 
room  . . .  20 


Stock — 

Raw  finished/storage  of.. 321-322 
Stopping — - 

Cabinet  maker’s,  formula.... 

.  425-426 

Storage— 

Dark  place  for  finished  work  23 


Oils,  etc . 327-331 

Raw  finished  stock . 321-322 

Stratford  Oak  Finish — 

Formula  .  380 

Process  .  188 

Sulphate  of  Iron — 

Caution  about  using .  242 

Sunlight — 


Avoid  in  storing  raw  stock . 

. .  321-322 

Direct  rays  of  sun  to  be 


avoided  in  finishing .  £3 

Effect  of,  on  colors . 36,  92 

Fades  leather .  432 

Spirit  stain  fades  in .  239 

Surfacing  . 251-257 


Formula,  for  dipping  process  266 
Table  Top — • 

Acid  proof,  formulas  for  417-413 


Tanking  Process — • 

See  Dipping. 

Tanned  Bark  Extract — • 

Strengthens  fuming .  142 

Tannic  Acid — • 

Formula  for  producing 
browns  with  tannin  and 

potash  .  201 

Tannic  Acid — 

Fuming  facilitated  by  use 

of  . 152-153 

Important  factor  in  produc¬ 
ing  color . 177-178 

Nature  of . 161-162 

Tannin— 

In  wood,  effects  stains . 71-72 

Nature  of . 161-162 

Not  uniformly  present  in 

different  boards . .  178 

Tar  Oil— 

Heavy,  use  of,  in  finishing 

room  . 229 

Teak— 

Chinese,  formula  . .  357 

Temperature— 

Even,  in  dipping  process, 
essentials  . 113 


452 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


For  varnish  251-252,  257,  270-272 


Fuming  box .  138 

Piano  show  rooms .  399 

Silvering  mirrors . 407,  408 

Tests — 

Colorimeter  for . 343-345 

For  color  uniformity  in  dip¬ 
ping  . 114-115 

Linseed  oil . 300-301 

Matchings  .  170 

Sandpaper  .  53 

Varnish  . 277-279,  281-283 

Texico  Spirits — 

Solvent  comparative  with 

turpentine  .  295 

Thermostat  .  20 

Tin — 

Formula  for  sticking  paper 

to  .  401 

Solder,  removing,  formula....  420 
Tobacco  Brown  Finish — 

Formula  .  380 

Toluol — 

Properties  and  uses.. 230,  231-232 
Toona  Stain — 

Formulas  .  376 

Toys— 

Polishing  by  tumbling .  395 

Trucks — - 

Use  of,  in  finishing  oper¬ 
ations  .  19 

Tumbling — - 

Polishing  by .  395 

Turned  Wood — 

See  also  End  Wood. 

Turpaline — 

Substitute  for  turpentine .  209 

Turpentine — 

Government  regulation  of 

sale  of . 317-319 

Solvent  for  varnish .  273 

Substitute  for . .  209 

Turpentine  Stain — 

Method  of  applying .  58 

Preventing  lifting .  253 

U.  S.  P— 

Meaning  of.. .  311 

Union  Furniture  Co.,  Rock¬ 
ford,  III. 

Fuming  box .  .143-146 

United  States  Pharmacopoeia — 
Standard  work .  311 


Vacuum  Heating  System .  19 


Van  Dyke  Brown  Finish — 

On  gumwood,  formula .  380 


Varnish — 

Applying  . 

..257-260 

Benzol  in . 

..234-235 

Brilliancy  and  lustre. 

de- 

pend  on  resin . 

..279-280 

Brush,  care  of . 

..259,335 

Buying,  testing  before.  .. 

.281-283 

Cleanliness  in  using . 

.258-259 

Defects  in . 274-276,  285-286 

Drying  251-252,  257-258,  260,  286 
Atmospheric  conditions 

important  . 269-270 

Room,  location . 18-19 

Systems  . 271-272 

Durability,  pi’oducing . 279-280 

Good,  qualities  of .  .  277 

Hair  lines  in,  cause  of . 275-276 

Ingredients  .  273 

Lustreless  finish,  producing 

.  264-265 

Manufacture  of  ....'. . 273-274 

Polishing  . 261,  263-264 

Reducer  .  257 

Refinishing  .  286 

Removing — 

Benzol  removes .  233 

Formulas  . 274-275,  419-423 

Rubbing  . 258,  260-263 

Sanding  .  50  51 

Satin  finish,  producing .  264 

Scratches,  obliterating .  275 

Spirit,  avoid  for  high  class 

work  .  279 

Sticky  pews,  remedy .  403 

Surfacer  . .252-255 

Sweating  . .275,  286 

Terms  applied  to . 287-288 

Testing  . 277-279 

Before  buying .  281-283 

Water  marks  on,  removing..  420 

Whitening,  remedy .  275 

See  also  Lacquer;  Shellac. 

Vaseline — 

Protects  hands  from  stain  80-81 
Substitute  for . 81 

Vegetable  Colors— 

Care  of . 76 

Samples  of,  should  be  kept....  242 
Table  of  combinations  with 
chemicals  to  produce 

stains  .  .220-222 

Uncertainty  of . .  35-36, 177 


GEN  INDEX 


45B 


Vegetable  Filler-— 

Disadvantage  of . 

.  117 

Good  for  somt  woods.............  125 

Veneers— 

Blisters  in,  cause  and  rem- 

edy  . . . 

..105-107,  438 

Changing  finish . . 

. 227-228 

Checks  in — ■ 

Cause  . . . 

. . 97-100 

Remedy  . . 

. 100-101 

Crotch— 

Checking,  remedy 

. . .  89 

Filling  holes  in...... 

. 109-110 

Drying  . . . 

. . 99-100 

Laying  of . . . 

. 99-100 

Preparation  for  staining  103-108 

Sponging— 

Advantages............ 

.104,  105-108 

Ventilation—- 

Finishing  room . 

. 17-19 

Fuming  box  . . 

. 148, 148 

In  drying  varnish... 

. . .  260 

Viscosity— 

Varnish  test............. 

. . .  282 

Walnut 

Bleaching  . . 

. 193-195 

Filler  for........ . 

.  125 

Finishes  for . 

. 193-195 

Gum  wood  substitute  for  243-244 

Stains,  formulas . . 

. 381-382 

Walnut  Brown  Stain  Finish—  • 

Insoluble  portion  in 

. 94-95 

Water— 

Care  in  use  of,  as  solvent......  75 

Water  Stains-- 

Advantages  of . 

..61-62,65,69 

Anilines  furnish  95 

per  cent 

of  . . . 

.  177 

Application  of . 57-58,  91-92 

Color  value  of,  highest .  228 

Colors  which  will  produce 

any  shade  on  market... .  228 

Golden  oak,  formula .  382 

In  dipping  process . 112-113 

On  filled  wood  practical... .  213 

Treatment  of  ■  sap  streaks 

with  . - . .  88 

Used  on  high  grade  furni¬ 
ture  largely.............. .....173,  226 

Wax— 

For  water  dressings  on 

leather  . . 480 

Furniture  city,  formula .  371 


Palmetto,  formula . . .  377 

Paraffine  . 334,395 

Wax  Finish . . .  121 

Protecting  from  water .  402 

Water  marks  on,  remedy .  402 

Wayne  System  of  Storage 
Tanks  . 327-331 

Weathered  Oak  Finish — ■ 
Formulas  . . . 382-385 

Weights  and  Measures . 347-352 

Metric  system . . 351-352 

Tables,  standards  in  U.  S . 

. . . . . . . . .  349-351 

Variation  in...... . .............26-28 

Whitewash- — 

Undesirable  in  finishing 
room  . . ..21-22 

Willow — 

Coloring  . . 197-198 

Withers,  J.  W. . 

Cost  keeping... . 325-328 

Wood— 

Acid  proof,  formula... . 417-418 

Bleaching  . 215-216 

Changes  in,  effect  stain .  37 

Close-grained  .  334 

Color  absorption,  variations 

in  . . . . Ill,  112 

Discolored  naturally,  diffi¬ 
cult  to  remedy.. . .  402 

Glue  for,,  formula .  391 

Iron  spots  in,  removing .  216 

Kept  in  warm  place,  more 

penetrable  . 91 

Locality  variations  in .  72 

Open-grained  .  334 

Porous,  filling  . .  117 

Preparation  of,  for  finishing 

processes  . 41-45 

Reaction  to  stains  varied. ...71-72 
Seasoning  and  drying  neces- 

•  sary  . 39-40 

Stains  should  bring  out 

beauties  of . 34,  93 

Stains  on,  bleaching . 402,  403 

Tannin  in,  effects  stain .  71 

Texture  of,  effects  stain .  72 

Wood  Putties . . . 425-427 

Woods — See  Birch;  Bird’s  eye 
Maple;  Driftwood ;  End  Wood ; 
Gum  Wood;  Knots;  Mahog¬ 
any;  Maple;  Oak;  Pine;  Rose¬ 
wood:  Walnut;  Willow. 


PROBLEMS  OF  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


YOUR 


/ 


OWN  FORMULAS 


FORMULAS  AND  DIRECTIONS 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


PROBLEMS  OE  THE  FINISHING  ROOM 


YOUR  OWN  FORMULAS 


'mJic* 


GETTY  CENTER  LIBRARY 


3  3125  00140  2896 


